I’m so excited to look at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony tonight! Breaking with tradition, the ceremony is not going to happen in a stadium but on the banks of the River Seine. We are in for an actual showstopper where sport meets musical theatre. With a star-studded line up, the ceremony is becoming more ambitious with every Games. This 12 months around 10,500 athletes from 206 Olympic national teams will parade through the center of the French capital. I just love watching the faces of the athletes as they enter the world stage. The feelings of anticipation and excitement are palpable.
It makes me emotional to see the delegations from the countries in Asia and Africa where we work. Having seen among the places where they grew up, I’m inspired after I see them competing in an event that unites the world.
The good intentions and a spirit of unity are undoubtedly there. Everyone holds fast to the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. Yet, as in every aspect of life, it’s removed from a level playing field. Is Team GB really a lot ‘higher’ at sport than the nine countries during which we work in Asia and Africa?
Statistics show that we have now won a complete of 915 Olympic medals over the centuries. This compares with the collective 126 medals from Ethiopia, India, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. Despite collaborating, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal have never medalled. There is little question that elite sport doesn’t come low cost. It costs billions to coach and develop athletes and construct facilities for those athletes to coach in. Money and opportunity that simply is not there for those growing up within the communities during which we work in Asia and Africa.
We have seen it on a national level here in our own country. Those with longer memories will remember the frustration of the Atlanta 1996 games for Team GB. We won only one gold and 15 medals overall. 1 / 4 of a century on and Team GB won their one hundredth gold since Atlanta on the Tokyo Games in 2021!
National Lottery funding is widely credited for our Olympic success lately. Denise Lewis, the one British woman to win a medal at Atlanta, describes herself as a “master of her own destiny”. As a young athlete she was left scrabbling for funding for physios and scans while training with part-time coaches. “You can only do what you possibly can and also you’re born within the era that you just’re born into,” she correctly surmises.
To me all Olympians are true heroes. They reveal grit, determination and talent far beyond that which money could ever buy. Yet it’s the stories of those overcoming the hurdles to success that actually warm my heart. These athletes reside proof that literally anything is feasible with the proper breaks and the proper resolution.
There is a lot to do with regards to changing the fortunes of those running the race of life. Success can only come through opportunity. And at The Leprosy Mission we’re captivated with providing opportunities for young people to attain their very own greatness. Our Vocational Training Centres in India are only one among the ways young people affected by leprosy have the prospect to construct an incredible future. They can learn trades from banking and insurance to sewing technology and diesel mechanics. These special places of learning truly provide a pathway out of poverty. They are somewhere where children from tough backgrounds can achieve their full potential. Just as with the Olympics, there have been some incredible success stories. Real life stories where entrepreneurship and leadership skills have been nurtured and unleashed.
Last 12 months nearly 600 young people in India graduated from our training centres. I’m so excited to see the fruits of their labour as they find their footing in their very own race through life. I’m rooting for every one to attain gold!
