I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the London 2012 Olympics and am amazed to admit that I’ll miss the pleasure that the games have brought into my life over the last fortnight. Bearing in mind that before the games started, I used this blog to admit my lack of engagement with the event, I am amazed that I have been transformed into a fan. In a more recent blog post, this sentiment was starting to become obvious and this article picks up the thread.
The media in the UK (and doubtless all over the world) is full of coverage and, as a result, I am not sure why anyone would be interested in reading about my observations – let’s face it I am no sports pundit. You’ll realise that I managed to overcome my reservations; but I scratched my head for a while before taking to the keyboard.
My angle is to write about the experiences that helped me realise that my earlier lack of engagement was a failing on my part. Here is a collection of personal highlights from the games - things that captured my attention, generated enthusiasm, fuelled my imagination and made me prepared to admit that I was wrong.
1) On Saturday night, I watched Mo Farah run the 5,000 metres and I was totally gripped. As he ran the last lap, I was off the sofa and jumping up and down on the floor to spur him on. Even as I was doing so, part of my brain was analysing how ridiculous I must have looked and how my antics couldn’t possibly affect the race result. It didn’t matter though, the excitement was infectious and the pleasure of someone else achieving something amazing was hugely rewarding - to feel so good for someone that you have never met (and probably never will) is refreshing for one’s soul.
2) Watching Jessica Ennis emphatically win the heptathlon – enough said!
3) Watching Mo Farah and Usain Bolt swapping call signs for the media was delightful – excellent to see that these Olympians have a sense of humour and are good sports too.
4) Seeing the genuine delight of Tom Daley when he achieved his bronze medal. The Chinese chap (the silver medal winner), whose name I now can’t remember has a lesson to learn from him.
5) Watching Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps and supporting them as vociferously as anyone from Team GB. And hearing the crowds doing the same thing.
6) Watching the wonderful clips of the BBC commentators off air getting as excited as everyone else despite the fact that they were medal winners themselves in the past
7) Realising how nicely grounded and sensible so many of the Team GB members are. The Brownlee brothers, Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford, Bradley Wiggins, Nicola Adams, Mo Farah – all decent role models for my children in my opinion – not like the average premiership footballer that earns too much money for his own good and has a limited grip on reality let alone family values.
8) Seeing the Queen prepared to show a sense of humour and be a good sport
9) Chatting to my parents (both retired) and realising that they were as gripped as I was – they knew the names of the athletes and the results they achieved. In my 41 years, I have never known sports of any genre to command such attention from my parents.
The list is by no means exhaustive but it is sufficient to prove that the Olympics made its mark. For a few weeks, the double dip recession was of little interest to anyone, the threat from terrorism seemed diminished, it felt good to be British and to be part of the celebrations, and we all got reminded just how much the human body and spirit are capable of when we are prepared to work hard and stretch our boundaries.
Before the games started I was largely disinterested; although in my own defence I did state that I hoped the patriotic spirit would grip me when the sport started. The fact is that it did and I am glad.
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The media in the UK (and doubtless all over the world) is full of coverage and, as a result, I am not sure why anyone would be interested in reading about my observations – let’s face it I am no sports pundit. You’ll realise that I managed to overcome my reservations; but I scratched my head for a while before taking to the keyboard.
My angle is to write about the experiences that helped me realise that my earlier lack of engagement was a failing on my part. Here is a collection of personal highlights from the games - things that captured my attention, generated enthusiasm, fuelled my imagination and made me prepared to admit that I was wrong.
1) On Saturday night, I watched Mo Farah run the 5,000 metres and I was totally gripped. As he ran the last lap, I was off the sofa and jumping up and down on the floor to spur him on. Even as I was doing so, part of my brain was analysing how ridiculous I must have looked and how my antics couldn’t possibly affect the race result. It didn’t matter though, the excitement was infectious and the pleasure of someone else achieving something amazing was hugely rewarding - to feel so good for someone that you have never met (and probably never will) is refreshing for one’s soul.
2) Watching Jessica Ennis emphatically win the heptathlon – enough said!
3) Watching Mo Farah and Usain Bolt swapping call signs for the media was delightful – excellent to see that these Olympians have a sense of humour and are good sports too.
4) Seeing the genuine delight of Tom Daley when he achieved his bronze medal. The Chinese chap (the silver medal winner), whose name I now can’t remember has a lesson to learn from him.
5) Watching Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps and supporting them as vociferously as anyone from Team GB. And hearing the crowds doing the same thing.
6) Watching the wonderful clips of the BBC commentators off air getting as excited as everyone else despite the fact that they were medal winners themselves in the past
7) Realising how nicely grounded and sensible so many of the Team GB members are. The Brownlee brothers, Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford, Bradley Wiggins, Nicola Adams, Mo Farah – all decent role models for my children in my opinion – not like the average premiership footballer that earns too much money for his own good and has a limited grip on reality let alone family values.
8) Seeing the Queen prepared to show a sense of humour and be a good sport
9) Chatting to my parents (both retired) and realising that they were as gripped as I was – they knew the names of the athletes and the results they achieved. In my 41 years, I have never known sports of any genre to command such attention from my parents.
The list is by no means exhaustive but it is sufficient to prove that the Olympics made its mark. For a few weeks, the double dip recession was of little interest to anyone, the threat from terrorism seemed diminished, it felt good to be British and to be part of the celebrations, and we all got reminded just how much the human body and spirit are capable of when we are prepared to work hard and stretch our boundaries.
Before the games started I was largely disinterested; although in my own defence I did state that I hoped the patriotic spirit would grip me when the sport started. The fact is that it did and I am glad.
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