Roberto running the 400m for the University Polytecnic, RivasNicaragua was aiming to win at least one medal, but with just five athletes, two of whom don't have any events listed on the official Olympics website, it's a bit of a long shot.
Couple that with no Olympic coverage on regular TV, or on the direct TV I have (although it is on cable which isn't available where I live), it's hard to get very excited.
That's one of the toughest things about Nicaragua. The lack of communication infrastructure greatly limits their capacity for everything from getting excited about the Olympics and accurate information for elections to advertising for businesses and customers who want to look for the best deal. Looking for information is a resource and time intensive activity.
Hopefully I'll see a little of the Olympics at a friends house. Nicaraguans had been hoping to win their first medal this year (although they've competed in years past, they have yet to win any medal), but with Nicaraguan athletes difficult to even find, it's not looking good.
In the meantime they find other reasons to root for athletes from other countries such as they come from the country where a relative is working, or they just like the team's style.
The Olympics, which have so much potential, fall flat in the face of the incredible amount of energy necessary devoted to day to day life. Not quite the same as in other small, but developed countries.
If they made and Olympic sport of that, Nicaraguans would have a good shot at that first medal!
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