The return of the most successful British Olympic team in 100 years, and because the 1908 London Games include only two dozen nations and competitive preparations was in their infancy, it can be argued this has been the most successful team of all time. Some thirty individuals have gold medals because of quartets, trios and duos and some seventy individual brought back a medal to their part of the United Kingdom.
This should have a profound effect on Britain's involvement in the 2012 Games and on participation in sport in general. It could have positive consequences for the political and social landscape.
For once all the ingredients came together, individuals with the dedication and drive to win and push themselves beyond their previous limits to do so. There was Shanaz Reade getting off the plane on crutches, obviously angry with herself for trying to win in the only way she knew and that momentary miscalculation when her dream of Gold and nothing but Gold ended. She had crashed twice beforehand, and badly injured but pressed one. No medal then but a model for hundreds of thousands of young people. There was 14 year old Master Daley getting of the plane trying to take everything in and getting a great hug from Tessa Jowell and the warmest of smiles from the Prime Minister because of his courage but more because of the way he conducted himself on TV and also become an icon for the youth of the nation. There was also Ms Cooke who had nipped back to Switzerland where she is now based to enjoy the triumph with her friends and sponsors, and then quietly letting slip that she had gone back into training last Tuesday in preparation for her next world competitive event in September, before joining her fellow competitors at Heathrow for the photocall and press conference and then going on to Wales to join her team members for the reception at Heathrow before travelling to Wales for an open topped bus ride around Cardiff before returning to her parental home village in the Welsh Valleys, challenged by the disappearance of coal mining and where a third of the working population now have to live as the minimum national income.
The second ingredient was government funding which enabled the elite athletes to concentrate full time on preparations and competing, as well as the funds for equipment and for training facilities and to encourage new generations to join in and for some to replicate the achievements.
The third has been the administration, coaching and support staff able to work together effectively and create a sense of a team, and one should not forget the patents and the relatives who made sacrifices in time and money to give support over the years before the national funding became available. There is a momentum which should continue forward to 2012
The return home was well planned and orchestrated with the Athletes in their team GB outfits and medals parading down the steps of the plane after The Princess Royal, Lord Coe and other passengers had quietly left determined that for once the attention should be focussed on the athletes before they had their press conference where the media appeared for once in awe and wonderment, trying not to ask any question which might spoil the moment, although it was evident that that those attending the conference had been well prepared.
There were three aspects which caught my attention. The wise advice from one former Olympian the swimmer Sharon Davis who at the time could not hide her jubilation as the main poolside BBC commentator that the successful athletes would be overwhelmed by the public attention, and then there would a great sense of anti- climax as the media moved on, and they and their team mates had to decide if to begin another four year cycle with the incentive of winning at home, embarking on the rest of their lives, trying to hold on to the memory of one unbelievable moment in time.
The second was that already the two leaders of the pack had been identified. Chris Hoy because he had won the more medals at any one Games since the 1908 London games and who represented maturity and the ability to become a major ambassador for 2012. He had confirmed that he would be competing in 2012 and responded with great diplomacy at the decision to close the indoor cycle centre at Edinburgh and the new Glasgow centre emerged. On one hand the vicious is that the best athletes need to live and work together in their preparations and before those from Scotland should have one place of their own rather than concentrating everyone in Manchester. However had he not had the opportunity to just go along and try out the sport and young person without setting his sights on international competition he might not have developed into the success of today. Then he was given the question which could have spoilt the party, was he happy about being part of a British team at the games rather than a Scottish. Yes he was proud to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth games but he was also proud to be part of the British team because he was proud to be Scottish and British. If there was any doubt that he will become Sir Chris Hoy, either now or after 2012, then he flattened them.
For Becky Adlington aged 19 she was asked for her reactions to the news that a pub was to become the Adlington Arms. No she did not know about that although she did know about the Swimming Pool, and yes she was looking forward to the shoe, and no she has no intention of sharing them with her sister, who fortunately had a different size. She was proud to come from her small town of Mansfield and to represent them and anything else was a bonus. She showed indications of having every intention to remain herself but also to follow in the footsteps of all the few others who are able to remain the centre of public attention beyond their sports or other specialist activities. She could be destroyed in terms of the continuing effort required for a second round of Medals and as a normal, girl next door human being that young people will want to identify with, in contrast say to Amy Winehouse and other rock stars, football prima donnas and personality celebrities without any other achievement.
The media has the most important a part to play with the natural tendency to now look for skeleton in the cupboards of the individual concerned and in their families. However I thought they did well in terms of the families who where invited to assemble at a Thames side. Here members of families of athletes who had participated without medal success were interviewed and able to demonstrate how proud they were for being related to someone who had been part of the team and their joy at being able to see them again. One medallist who had returned early to be with his family reminded that what was important to his son was not the medal but that he was able to read him a bedtime story. There were also nice reminders that partner had been separated so that all the right images were available for the TV and morning papers.
Of course this is only a few days when the nation can take its mind away from financial concerns, wars and famines, and not everyone was giving their full attention to the Olympics whatever the success stories. There were other sports commanding attention with the start of the football season, Rugby union and rugby league, the Motor racing Formula One events and the US Tennis Open championships. Hopefully the public will now switch in vast numbers to the Olympic success sports, but the majority will not.
Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell adopted a low key approach by not giving live interviews but greeting the returning competitors on behalf of the government and nation. As if on cue the following day the Conservative Sports Minister expressed concern about the whether the government was doing enough to involve young people in Sport and ensuring that there was a good legacy in terms of the effective use of the facilities once the games are over. This was unnecessary and inappropriate and a political mistake although one can understand the panic among the opposition within and outside the Labour Party as it looked that the Government led by Tony Blair had adopted a policy and programme which brought general acclaim and were now handing the present unplanned success intelligently and with understanding. There was also a nasty article in the Independent newspaper top day arguing that France had deserved to get the games more than Britain because of having a better public sport participation structure than in the UK.I have no means of knowing if this comparison is valid but assuming it is, then the counter argument is that if France has such a good system and provision and Britain less then The Olympic committee made the right decision because we would benefit and progress more.
It will be interesting to see how Scotland handles the official reception following the comments of Chris Hoy and an example of how it is possible for those with different and conflicting agendas to work together constructively is the Northern Ireland power sharing Executive. I watched the recording of the June meeting yesterday when the new chief and deputy Ministers were appointed by the majority parties to office at the Assembly, following the retirement resignation of Ian Paisley. Moderate political leaders reminded that for the grater part of forty years Mr Paisley had said no and for the previous 18 months he had said yes to the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland and consequently they were able to wish him well in retirement. The new Unionist Chief Minister emphasised his party's continuing opposition to the aims of the Republicans but the willingness to make the all Ireland committees work and to concentrate with the Republicans on improving the situation of everyone in Northern Ireland and similar commitment was given by Martin McGuiness the reappointed deputy chief Minister. It struck me that if this was possible then a way had to be found to create a great British football team for 2012. If not then I would hope that the World and European federations will step if there the democratic power of the majority to do so.
There are 100000 and more volunteers registered for he games when less than that number will be needed. I had thought the reason for the TV screen at Middlesbrough because they were hosting a preliminary game or two, but according to the excellent 2012 internet site, it is Newcastle because of its size, with Villa park in the Midlands, similarly Manchester United and the Millennium Stadium Cardiff as well as Hampden Park with the final at Wembley.
There are ambitious plans to get all the visitors to Olympic Park by public transport with a new seven minute rail link from St Pancras connecting with the underground net work there used by both St Pancras and Kings Cross, with Euston nearby this will enable visitors from the North East, North West and Midlands to travel to central London and to the games and directly from Europe by train. This will mean that only official vehicles will be allowed onto the site with competitors and the support teams housed in the village adjacent to the stadium where apartments will be equipped with the latest technology.
Later on I decided to watch Braindead one of the Peter Jackson's horror films before Heavenly Creatures and Kate Winslet. This a funny film with unbelievable horror in which the most grotesque looking beings cannot be killed until the hero decides to use a rotary lawnmower and his adoring girl friend a blender to reduced several dozen of the creatures to go before this is all burnt. The plot centres on a monkey that was raped by a rat on the island of Sumatra and who now tears into any human or animal flesh with gusto. The creature also has the problem that any transferring of blood will result in an immediate transformation of the being in question, turning them instantly into a blood seeking grotesque monster who will tear into flesh with their hands. Set in fifties New Zealand the film made by Peter Jackson with his lifelong partner Fran Walsh gives an insight into their character, but for most adults the film should not be viewed after a meal or before going to bed. Wiser to stick to dreams about being an Olympic champion however unrealistic this is.
This should have a profound effect on Britain's involvement in the 2012 Games and on participation in sport in general. It could have positive consequences for the political and social landscape.
For once all the ingredients came together, individuals with the dedication and drive to win and push themselves beyond their previous limits to do so. There was Shanaz Reade getting off the plane on crutches, obviously angry with herself for trying to win in the only way she knew and that momentary miscalculation when her dream of Gold and nothing but Gold ended. She had crashed twice beforehand, and badly injured but pressed one. No medal then but a model for hundreds of thousands of young people. There was 14 year old Master Daley getting of the plane trying to take everything in and getting a great hug from Tessa Jowell and the warmest of smiles from the Prime Minister because of his courage but more because of the way he conducted himself on TV and also become an icon for the youth of the nation. There was also Ms Cooke who had nipped back to Switzerland where she is now based to enjoy the triumph with her friends and sponsors, and then quietly letting slip that she had gone back into training last Tuesday in preparation for her next world competitive event in September, before joining her fellow competitors at Heathrow for the photocall and press conference and then going on to Wales to join her team members for the reception at Heathrow before travelling to Wales for an open topped bus ride around Cardiff before returning to her parental home village in the Welsh Valleys, challenged by the disappearance of coal mining and where a third of the working population now have to live as the minimum national income.
The second ingredient was government funding which enabled the elite athletes to concentrate full time on preparations and competing, as well as the funds for equipment and for training facilities and to encourage new generations to join in and for some to replicate the achievements.
The third has been the administration, coaching and support staff able to work together effectively and create a sense of a team, and one should not forget the patents and the relatives who made sacrifices in time and money to give support over the years before the national funding became available. There is a momentum which should continue forward to 2012
The return home was well planned and orchestrated with the Athletes in their team GB outfits and medals parading down the steps of the plane after The Princess Royal, Lord Coe and other passengers had quietly left determined that for once the attention should be focussed on the athletes before they had their press conference where the media appeared for once in awe and wonderment, trying not to ask any question which might spoil the moment, although it was evident that that those attending the conference had been well prepared.
There were three aspects which caught my attention. The wise advice from one former Olympian the swimmer Sharon Davis who at the time could not hide her jubilation as the main poolside BBC commentator that the successful athletes would be overwhelmed by the public attention, and then there would a great sense of anti- climax as the media moved on, and they and their team mates had to decide if to begin another four year cycle with the incentive of winning at home, embarking on the rest of their lives, trying to hold on to the memory of one unbelievable moment in time.
The second was that already the two leaders of the pack had been identified. Chris Hoy because he had won the more medals at any one Games since the 1908 London games and who represented maturity and the ability to become a major ambassador for 2012. He had confirmed that he would be competing in 2012 and responded with great diplomacy at the decision to close the indoor cycle centre at Edinburgh and the new Glasgow centre emerged. On one hand the vicious is that the best athletes need to live and work together in their preparations and before those from Scotland should have one place of their own rather than concentrating everyone in Manchester. However had he not had the opportunity to just go along and try out the sport and young person without setting his sights on international competition he might not have developed into the success of today. Then he was given the question which could have spoilt the party, was he happy about being part of a British team at the games rather than a Scottish. Yes he was proud to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth games but he was also proud to be part of the British team because he was proud to be Scottish and British. If there was any doubt that he will become Sir Chris Hoy, either now or after 2012, then he flattened them.
For Becky Adlington aged 19 she was asked for her reactions to the news that a pub was to become the Adlington Arms. No she did not know about that although she did know about the Swimming Pool, and yes she was looking forward to the shoe, and no she has no intention of sharing them with her sister, who fortunately had a different size. She was proud to come from her small town of Mansfield and to represent them and anything else was a bonus. She showed indications of having every intention to remain herself but also to follow in the footsteps of all the few others who are able to remain the centre of public attention beyond their sports or other specialist activities. She could be destroyed in terms of the continuing effort required for a second round of Medals and as a normal, girl next door human being that young people will want to identify with, in contrast say to Amy Winehouse and other rock stars, football prima donnas and personality celebrities without any other achievement.
The media has the most important a part to play with the natural tendency to now look for skeleton in the cupboards of the individual concerned and in their families. However I thought they did well in terms of the families who where invited to assemble at a Thames side. Here members of families of athletes who had participated without medal success were interviewed and able to demonstrate how proud they were for being related to someone who had been part of the team and their joy at being able to see them again. One medallist who had returned early to be with his family reminded that what was important to his son was not the medal but that he was able to read him a bedtime story. There were also nice reminders that partner had been separated so that all the right images were available for the TV and morning papers.
Of course this is only a few days when the nation can take its mind away from financial concerns, wars and famines, and not everyone was giving their full attention to the Olympics whatever the success stories. There were other sports commanding attention with the start of the football season, Rugby union and rugby league, the Motor racing Formula One events and the US Tennis Open championships. Hopefully the public will now switch in vast numbers to the Olympic success sports, but the majority will not.
Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell adopted a low key approach by not giving live interviews but greeting the returning competitors on behalf of the government and nation. As if on cue the following day the Conservative Sports Minister expressed concern about the whether the government was doing enough to involve young people in Sport and ensuring that there was a good legacy in terms of the effective use of the facilities once the games are over. This was unnecessary and inappropriate and a political mistake although one can understand the panic among the opposition within and outside the Labour Party as it looked that the Government led by Tony Blair had adopted a policy and programme which brought general acclaim and were now handing the present unplanned success intelligently and with understanding. There was also a nasty article in the Independent newspaper top day arguing that France had deserved to get the games more than Britain because of having a better public sport participation structure than in the UK.I have no means of knowing if this comparison is valid but assuming it is, then the counter argument is that if France has such a good system and provision and Britain less then The Olympic committee made the right decision because we would benefit and progress more.
It will be interesting to see how Scotland handles the official reception following the comments of Chris Hoy and an example of how it is possible for those with different and conflicting agendas to work together constructively is the Northern Ireland power sharing Executive. I watched the recording of the June meeting yesterday when the new chief and deputy Ministers were appointed by the majority parties to office at the Assembly, following the retirement resignation of Ian Paisley. Moderate political leaders reminded that for the grater part of forty years Mr Paisley had said no and for the previous 18 months he had said yes to the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland and consequently they were able to wish him well in retirement. The new Unionist Chief Minister emphasised his party's continuing opposition to the aims of the Republicans but the willingness to make the all Ireland committees work and to concentrate with the Republicans on improving the situation of everyone in Northern Ireland and similar commitment was given by Martin McGuiness the reappointed deputy chief Minister. It struck me that if this was possible then a way had to be found to create a great British football team for 2012. If not then I would hope that the World and European federations will step if there the democratic power of the majority to do so.
There are 100000 and more volunteers registered for he games when less than that number will be needed. I had thought the reason for the TV screen at Middlesbrough because they were hosting a preliminary game or two, but according to the excellent 2012 internet site, it is Newcastle because of its size, with Villa park in the Midlands, similarly Manchester United and the Millennium Stadium Cardiff as well as Hampden Park with the final at Wembley.
There are ambitious plans to get all the visitors to Olympic Park by public transport with a new seven minute rail link from St Pancras connecting with the underground net work there used by both St Pancras and Kings Cross, with Euston nearby this will enable visitors from the North East, North West and Midlands to travel to central London and to the games and directly from Europe by train. This will mean that only official vehicles will be allowed onto the site with competitors and the support teams housed in the village adjacent to the stadium where apartments will be equipped with the latest technology.
Later on I decided to watch Braindead one of the Peter Jackson's horror films before Heavenly Creatures and Kate Winslet. This a funny film with unbelievable horror in which the most grotesque looking beings cannot be killed until the hero decides to use a rotary lawnmower and his adoring girl friend a blender to reduced several dozen of the creatures to go before this is all burnt. The plot centres on a monkey that was raped by a rat on the island of Sumatra and who now tears into any human or animal flesh with gusto. The creature also has the problem that any transferring of blood will result in an immediate transformation of the being in question, turning them instantly into a blood seeking grotesque monster who will tear into flesh with their hands. Set in fifties New Zealand the film made by Peter Jackson with his lifelong partner Fran Walsh gives an insight into their character, but for most adults the film should not be viewed after a meal or before going to bed. Wiser to stick to dreams about being an Olympic champion however unrealistic this is.
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