Vale all, athletes, medals or not

In ancient Greek mythology, there were 12 Olympians. How times have changed; we get to laud so many more. Olympic Games heroes come in all shapes and sizes; and for all kinds of reasons.

At Tokyo 2020, we have seen US gymnastics great Simone Biles concede she is mortal and step away from competing for her mental health. A statement from US Gymnastics applauded her bravery: “Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”

In the women’s 55kg weightlifting category, Air Force servicewoman Hidilyn Diaz beat world-record holder Liao Qiuyun to win the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Refugee Olympic team member Yusra Mardini swam in the women’s 100m butterfly heat. Growing up in Damascus, Mardini and her family fled Syria in 2015, eventually reaching Greece by boat.

When the boat’s motor stopped in the Aegean Sea, Mardini, her sister and two other passengers tread water for more than three hours, holding the boat afloat.

Uzbekistani gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, 46, is at her eighth Games, having competed in every cycle since Barcelona in 1992. She began representing the Soviet Union.

Great British diver Tom Daley declared after winning gold: “I feel incredibly proud to say that I am a gay man and also an Olympic champion.”

As well as the wonderful achievements, we also have disappointments.

At these times, it’s important to remember Olympians are athletes who compete at Olympic Games, whether they medal or not.

Some broadcasters seemed to overlook this when asking our men’s sevens rugby team what went wrong to claim silver medals.

Meanwhile, the Fiji team were singing in their changing room after a truly heroic campaign.

Forced together in truly Spartan conditions, they hunkered down in a Suva hostel as their home nation was overrun by Covid-19. A one-week training camp in early April has stretched to three months together — apart from their families and their lives.

They arrived in Japan on a cargo plane carrying frozen fish.

Vale, all our Olympians.

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