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Aug 12, 2021

#190



I have always loved watching The Olympics. I love it all: the stories, the backstories, the commentaries, the facts and figures, the reflections, the interviews with unbridled emotion. Despite all the uncertainty and brouhaha around these ‘Covid Olympics’, Tokyo 2020 (albeit one year late) did not disappoint.

Whilst The Olympics maintained (with Covid-19 protocols) the usual format (Opening Ceremony, lighting of the Olympic Flame, Oath, Closing Ceremony etc.), a few of my favourite highlights are as follows:

  1. The new Olympic Motto [“Higher, Faster, Stronger - Together”]: Rather than simply, “Higher, Faster, Stronger” (as it has been since 1894), it seems - when considering the reality over the last eighteen months - most apt to add the word “Together”.

  2. Simone Biles: Aside from holding 32 World and Olympic medals and having a number of moves entitled The Biles, her focus on prioritizing self-care and mental health (not to mention being the biggest cheerleader for her fellow athletes in the Ariake Gymnastics Centre) is to be praised and celebrated.

  3. Sifan Hassan: Demonstrated immense determination when entering three distance events (the five thousand metres, the ten thousand metres and the fifteen hundred metres) and especially so when she won - despite tripping and falling during the last lap - the 1500m heat. I love the quote at the end of Dennehy’s Runner’s World article, Sifan Hassan’s Unparalleled Attempt at an Olympic Triple, “Life is not only about the gold and winning and fame … It’s also about following your heart.”

  4. Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi: With equal score cards, they asked if it was possible to share the High Jump gold medal. The backstory includes Gianmarco having broken his ankle shortly before Rio 2016 (the cast lay on the track during the competition), Mutaz also having had some injuries. Yet - despite being fierce competitors - they are the best of friends on and off the track leading to Gianmarco stating, “Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful ... It was just magical.”

These four highlights and other takeaways from The Olympics illustrate so much more than sport. These are salient for lifelong learners with regards to being thinkers, communicators, principled, caring, risk takers, balanced, reflective, (yes, these are some of the attributes from the IB Learner Profile) and being - despite the pressures, uncertainties and realities - resilient, determined, motivated, compassionate, and collaborative.

I look forward to more stories, backstories, commentaries, facts and figures, reflections, and interviews from the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games (starting August 24) and seeing more athletes inspire us all.


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