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Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 17:41
The hype, expectation and dreams have already raced into overdrive with pledges of a sports spectacular to make the nation proud: but in the meantime, how are we – the spectators – supposed to keep ourselves entertained?
Since the Olympics begin three weeks ago, many a wet August day in the Thomas household has been spent glued to the television watching our outstanding athletes bolster Britain's medal tally.
While our sportsmen and women have been sweating, panting and pushing themselves to the limits we've sat nestled on the comfy sofa, using just enough energy to venture into the kitchen to brew another cuppa.
However, with normal service resumed on the box, the excuse for remaining cooped up indoors has waned and it's time to venture outside once more.
But to do what on these miserable summer days?
It turns out the answer has been staring us in the face for weeks.
As well as restoring a sense of national pride, the Olympics have raised the profile of sport and the benefits and enjoyment of taking part: not necessarily on the international stage, but at grassroots level – in the local sports club, on the school fields or at the park.
For the first time in months our family's bikes have been brought out of the darkness of the garage and dusted down, ready for a leisurely ride when the rain stops (if it ever does!)
Just this morning I've been online checking out session times at our local swimming pool and Mr T's back swinging on the rings at a city gymnasium for the first time this summer.
And so it goes on. The feel-good factor fostered by Britain's performance at the Olympics has refuelled our interest in sport, and introduced our nation to activities we'd never even heard of, which can only be a great thing.
Virtually every day we're bombarded with stories about Britain's generation of sedentary children who spend hours sitting in front of computers and televisions. Reports are relentless about the obesity epidemic taking hold in Britain, and the cost to both our population and its health services.
Only last weekend I opened the Sunday papers to read about a 40-stone woman who'd given birth to triplets. Rewind another few days and the news was filled with reports of the hospital in Cornwall that is having to cancel patients' appointments for MRI and CT scans being they are too fat to fit into scanners which have a weight limit of 24st. Apparently new technology is being developed to try to combat the problem, but one health adviser said simply building everything bigger was not the answer.
And I agree. Obesity is an issue we need to address, not accommodate: and surely sport, and the phenomenon surrounding London 2012, is a great way to make a start.
As a nation, we've overindulged on fad diets which, judging by the very fact that obesity rates are rising, can't be working.
Of course what we eat, and how much, is important, but if we're really going to address this problem we have to get active as well: which is where the political and sports heavyweights of Britain come in. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to bring back competitive sport in schools, saying it was wrong to discourage children from competing against each other.
He has pledged to extend the range of sports available to children and wants to set up a taskforce of the nation's sporting heroes to encourage more girls to participate.
Proposals for extending the time pupils spend doing sport have also been unveiled, with a pledge that schools will be able to link up with sports centres to offer alternative activities such as canoeing. It all sounds great; now let's see some action.
Competition can inspire the excitement and determination that keeps youngsters interested and wanting to do better – whether that's in sport or in other aspects of their lives. Not all will succeed in sport, as with everything in life, but hopefully they will have fun trying and enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes with taking part, as well as the health and psychological benefits of keeping active.
We need to credit our children with the ability to understand that they cannot excel at everything – whether that's maths, science or sport – rather than protecting them with the 'medals for all' culture that we've seen in our schools over the last decade or so.
But that doesn't mean they shouldn't take part, compete and try to better themselves.
As a country, we need competition in sport so that children can stand out and excel. Only then can we recognise and invest in our country's future talent and the youngsters who could go on to win medals in London 2012 and beyond.
Over the next four years we have a golden chance to extend sporting opportunities, facilities and coaching for our young people and foster a culture that makes sport fun and being active part of our daily lives. Let's hope that, as a nation, we grab it with both hands.
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