Growing up and even now I wonder why my country India does
not do well in securing many more medals in the Olympics. Today the Paris 2024
is concluding and the nation of more than 1.4 billion is again left with a handful
of medals.
Everyone in India you talk to or ask will give their reasons, share their opinions and bicker about this. I am not trying to write about what went wrong or is not working for Team India. I was fortunate to have been able to watch several exciting and interesting games (some late in the night IST) over the last 3 weeks when I got time and wanted to share my observations of what some of these athletes or their communities were doing differently.
Incidentally, many of these are also applicable to any professional discipline or work one takes as a career.
1. Passion and personal commitment
Being at the 5 rings event is not a dream for many, winning
a medal is ingrained in their minds and body (so many had tattooed it).
Early in their childhood, these athletes have committed
themselves to the sports they love more than anything else. Many may have been
honing their skill even before they could form sentences and write essays.
For them playing a sport was not an alternative to keeping themselves fit or a sidekick, but the only thing they wanted to commit to. Many US and Chinese athletes train and work on their skills at the tender age of 4 or 5 years.
2. Tribe and community commitment
As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. In many countries,
communities have been able to create a pool of talented individuals who not
only compete with each other to push their limits but also encourage each other
in these mentally tough sporting events.
A good example is the dominance of long-distance runners that some of the African nations have produced over the years. They compete together and become a support system for each other during these big events.
3. National commitment to sports
When a nation and its citizens give equal support to various
sports and widen their love for each discipline, it motivates individuals to
take up the sports of their interest and ability to a professional level. Many of the big sporting nations have committed
their resources and time to identify, nurture, and support talent. Sports is part
of nation-building and they ensure these individuals are no less than the ones
who work in the corporate world.
Image a nation that only looks at cricket to be the only viable sporting option, how can athletes see their future or develop an interest in aquatics or the long jump?
Every sport requires different abilities and skills. When these
athletes see the support and commitment from their families, communities and
the nation, their commitment only gets better.
These were my initial thoughts; I am sure you have many more. I am looking forward to learning from you all.
