'Lympics, 'lympics, 'lympics!

The beginning of the men's 5000

What now?  No seriously. What now?  I know there’s the Paralympics (which will be brilliant, of course) and the Premier League will shortly grace us with its disgustingly comforting presence. Still though, I ask you... WHAT NOW?!  

Undoubtedly my London 2012 highlight was being there to witness Mo Farah win the gold medal in the men’s 5000m*, followed closely by Jamaica smashing the world record in the men’s 4x100m relay.  During Farah’s last lap of the track the crowd were out of this world.  I’ve seen a lot of live sport but I have never witnessed anything like this.  In. Credible.  


From where I was stood, I could see that as Mo ran down the home straight, he had it in the bag.  It was so enjoyable to watch purely because there was a collective feeling that he was definitely going to do it.  The elation when he crossed the finish line was immense.

The overriding consensus is that (minus George Michael’s random ditty - was that really the forum in which to trial his new material? Probably not.) the whole Games have been ridiculously entertaining and a resounding success.  Sports I NEVER thought I’d watch have had me engrossed.  BMX, horsey disco dancing, archery, I even tuned into some fencing at one point.  Olympic fever has never been so enthralling.   

It’s a real shame that this amazing spell of buoyant patriotic buzz has to end.  But it does.  Obviously.  Maybe I’m still rosy from the glow of the torch, however I can’t help but think that it really has changed things.  Each tale of hard work, sacrifice and early mornings, only served to improve the image of what it is to be a sport star.  Balotelli may be good for banter, but
I’d prefer my kids (when I eventually have them) to have proper role models thank you very much.  

I genuinely believe that if managed properly, this wonderful momentum really can go on to deliver the promise of the legacy.  Somewhat skeptically though, I’m pretty sure that if lasting, positive change does materialise, that the government will have had little/nothing to do with it.  Having recently scrapped the mandatory 2 hours a week of sport in schools, it seems to me that they are all mouth and no trousers.  Bonkers.   

So no, I don’t trust the government to build on these foundations.  Instead, I think it will be the National Lottery (without whom the Olympics would not have been possible) and crucially, the athletes themselves - which in turn means sponsors - that will determine whether or not a legacy is delivered.  If in simply achieving their dreams, the stars of the games have inspired by example, imagine what would be possible if they really got involved.

The common thread that binds members of Team GB together - how they all got started in sport - from what I’ve heard, it’s typically down to their parents introducing them to an activity, or through a local club of some sort.  The answer is then surely to increase the involvement of athletes in local sporting initiatives.  Which as I say involves brands and cash.

I realise that this will naturally lead to all sorts of elitist issues, and it’s important, where possible, to be mindful of this.  Realistically though we can either moan about this and point fingers when the government doesn’t deliver ANYTHING, or we can acknowledge it, strive to be more inclusive where possible, and crack on.  Personally, I’m in favour of the latter.

We’re all willing for it not to have been for nothing.  I just hope that those in charge of the commercial endeavours which dictate so much, have the intention of using their might to continue what has only been a good thing.  In my mind, they’re the only ones that can have any real impact on the future.

*I assure you that I fully recognise how lucky I am to have been there.  I did not take this for granted one jot and played my part in screaming my ass off so that Mo could hear.