The flip side of sporting success
Over the last week, I have been marvelling at the stupendous feats of some of the athletes at the Paris Olympics. Among them, the jaw-dropping acrobatics of the American gymnast Simone Biles, the smashing of the 100m freestyle world record by the Chinese swimming sensation Pan Zhanle, who powered to victory by the unheard-of margin of a body length, and the casual brilliance of the 51-year old Turkish air-pistol specialist Yusuf Dikec, who won the silver medal, nonchalantly shooting in a T shirt, wearing his normal glasses and with one hand in his pocket.
- by autobot
- Aug. 7, 2024
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Over the last week, I have been marvelling at the stupendous feats of some of the athletes at the Paris Olympics. Among them, the jaw-dropping acrobatics of the American gymnast Simone Biles, the smashing of the 100m freestyle world record by the Chinese swimming sensation Pan Zhanle, who powered to victory by the unheard-of margin of a body length, and the casual brilliance of the 51-year old Turkish air-pistol specialist Yusuf Dikec, who won the silver medal, nonchalantly shooting in a T shirt, wearing his normal glasses and with one hand in his pocket. These are, of course, the best of the best in their fields, the tip of the iceberg of athletic excellence. But about 90 per cent of those who compete in the Olympics don’t win anything and there are thousands of others who train for the Games for years on end and don’t even get to participate. They often sacrifice their education and future job prospects for that long shot at glory.