Yesterday, world politics and Olympic sport met - and peace broke out, at, of all events, the women's 10-meter air pistol.
Russia's Natalia Paderina won the silver medal. Georgia's Nino Salukvadze won the bronze.
After the medals were delivered, Georgia's Salukvadze put her arm around Russia's Paderina. They posed for photographs. Paderina kissed Salukvadze on the cheek.
"This medal is good for Georgia, especially during times like this," Salukvadze said, according to the Associated Press. "I am very nervous today. It's very difficult for my people."
The death toll in Georgia has been reported to be more than 1,500.
"It's very difficult for us as Georgians because of everything that's going on at home. It was nice that Natalia Paderina came up to me after and gave me a handshake," Salukvadze said. "Yesterday I thought the Georgian Olympic team might withdraw."
Olympic history has darker moments of this sort. In 1956, after the Soviet Union invaded Hungary, the two nations met in a water polo match and blood mixed with pool water.
The likelihood of a war-charged meeting between Georgian and Russian wrestlers created a buzz on chat rooms devoted to the sport.
Several posters to TheWrestlingTalk.Com wondered how the dispute might impact bouts between Georgians and Russians. They seemed particularly intrigued by the prospect of a matchup of longtime rivals, Georgy Ketoev of Russia and Georgia's Revaz Mindorashvili.
Russia was awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Sochi, which is less than 200 miles from South Ossetia. International Olympic Committee spokeswoman Giselle Davies said it was wrong to assess Russian fitness to hold the 2014 Games with this new conflict.
Contact staff writer Frank Fitzpatrick at 215-854-5068 or ffitzpatrick@phillynews.com.
