Olympic Legacy

With Britain’s extremely successful Olympics now over and a lull before the Paralympics begin, much attention is being drawn to the Olympic legacy and whether the spirit of London 2012 will live on after the summer.

The truth is, we won’t find out for another decade or so whether the Games have inspired today’s younger generation sufficiently for them to become world-class athletes. The final medal tally was inspirational and a tribute not just to the medal winners themselves but to many people who have worked extremely hard over a number of years. Behind every medal won is a group of trainers, coaches and ever tolerant family members who have supported that successful athlete.

There are other lessons to be learned from the Olympics, and hopefully we won’t have to wait a generation to see them come to fruition. Hard work, fair play and sportsmanship are all values which playing sport at any level can help to instil. Seeing Katherine Grainger earn her gold medal after three silvers and twelve years is a clear lesson that good things come not to those who wait, rather to those who keep pushing and do not give up.

The Olympics, along with the Jubilee, have also been a great victory for British patriotism, showing it in a truly positive light. The nation appears to be more at ease with itself and its own identity than for many years. The fact that it is now possible to buy everything from paper plates to underwear bearing the Union flag demonstrates that national pride is no longer a taboo subject. In an age of growing cynicism, a renewed respect for our country is perhaps the best legacy the Games can offer.