What a summer of sport we have enjoyed, and what a remarkable transformation Britain’s Olympic team has had over the last two decades. At the Atlanta Games in 1996 Britain won one gold medal and finished 36th in the medal table. In London 2012, Team GB finished in third place with 29 medals. This summer in Rio, British sport has never been stronger and Team GB’s brilliant athletes flew home with an incredible 67 medals, 27 of which were gold, and finished in second place.
There were many incredible British stars in Rio and a number to watch when the Games move to Tokyo in four years. I would like to pay tribute to our Olympic stars and their olympic spirit; to their grit and determination to fulfil their ambition. No other sporting competition in the world can challenge the Olympic Games, with the best athletes chosen to represent their country’s Olympic team. Their achievements are remarkable and Team GB’s medal haul should give us a great feeling of national achievement and pride. Our best sports men and women have shown us their hard earned skills. But ultimately, sport is much more than a skill and discipline that each athlete commits their life to. Friendships, relationships and all the positive experiences that people of all ages gain from the world of sport are perhaps the greatest reward, regardless of whether they reach Olympic standard or not. Sport can enhance your life in ways that transcend sport itself.
I believe the Olympics represents an opportunity to take up sport, whether that be recreational or following an elite pathway, to develop skills that can enhance life or find friendships that last a lifetime. This is the true legacy of the Olympics.
The British Olympic Association’s (BOA) vision is to inspire the nation with olympic athletes in the pursuit of excellence. Their strapline: ‘Believe in Extraordinary’ encapsulates what drives Team GB athletes, how the nation is moved by the power of their achievements and represents a motto to inspire us all to believe that we too can achieve our personal best.
On Saturday 27th August, events were held across the country to celebrate the achievements of the British Olympic team and encourage more people to get active, inspired by the performances in Rio. The success of the ‘IAmTeamGB’ national sports day, which saw thousands of individuals getting out and getting active, is an indication of how we have been inspired by our Olympians’ successes.