From the Archive: A Gerneration Inspired?

From the Archive: First published 14th August 2012

So, that’s it. The curtain has fallen on arguably the greatest show on Earth, and definitely on the greatest sporting show in the world. London 2012 has seen Team GB winning more gold medals since over 100 years ago. And the spectacle of hosting the Games has led to patriotism and pride raging across society. In a recent BBC poll, 80% of people asked believed that hosting the Games had made people more proud to be British.

This is understandable. I went to the Olympic Park on a couple of occasions, and I rubbed shoulders with many Brits, as well as other nationalities. In Park Live, a big screen, showing live feeds of the ongoing sports, a sense of national pride swelled the area. When Beth Tweddle won her bronze medal in the Uneven Bars, the whole park erupted with cheers and Union Flags being waved all over the place. Just imagine it during coverage of Sir Chris Hoy’s Keirin race where he took gold!

However, as is the British way, there is always that feeling of returning to a sense of normality. The morning after the night before. In that BBC poll, 54% of people questioned thought that the effect that the Games had had on the UK would be short-lived. This should be a major worry for the big-wigs. This national identity found within the last couple of months with both the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee should be sustained and should live long within the hearts of the British people, to the Commonwealth Games in 2014, to the World Cup of the same year, and even to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Sebastian Coe promised to “inspire a generation”, encourage today’s children to be tomorrow’s Victoria Pendleton, Rebecca Adlington or Greg Rutherford. But, this tagline should also be used to encourage this generation to have the same sense of national pride now, and long after the show has moved on.