One glance at my Facebook news feed is all it takes to realise just how successful the current GB Olympic campaign has been.
Sat third in the overall medal table, Team GB have well and truly delivered on their goal of inspiring a nation and evoking national pride. I'm truly excited about what this could mean for the (cliche alert) "next generation" and I am truly proud of my nation's sports stars right now... But I'm afraid I fear the worst for our subsequent Olympic campaigns......
Before the goldrush of the last 48 hours or so I spoke with a local swimming coach about our nations ability to develop talent and produce world-beating athletes. Our conversation produced an alarming conclusion: At some point our rate of success will have to reach it's peak - at one moment in time our yearly medal hall will, logically, have to fall from the previous year.
The fear I have, is that Rio 2016 may be that moment. The response of a nation, filled with expectation and hope, seeing it's athletes fail to surmount previously conquered peaks could really be detrimental to long-term sustained development of youth sport and exercise in the UK. Don't get me wrong, the immediate and short term effect of London 2012 is likely to be fantastic and I'm so proud of what our nation has achieved. But is it really enough to inspire just one generation?
For now I intend to enjoy seeing the fruits of Sport England's labour (and all the other NGB's and Sport Development Charities) and I hope this Olympics continues to be a major success story.
Fingers crossed it isn't just a flash in the pan.
No comments:
Post a Comment