WHY THE ‘KINDNESS GAMES’ WILL FOREVER STAND AS A BEACON OF SPORTING GOOD

IN DIFFERENT times, a closing ceremony of beautiful simplicity here would have been witnessed by the competitors, although that wasn’t to be, of course. The pandemic still stalks Japan and only those who performed late were permitted to stay. Laura Kenny carried the British flag. Those competitors were never needed more from all nations because they have delivered something transcending the usual definition of ‘Olympian’ these past few weeks. Tom Dean fought off Covid twice. Pentathlete Joe Choong set up a shooting range in his back garden. Max Whitlock took his pommel horse home. All won gold. ‘Triumph’ has not been the signature key. ‘Resilience’ better encapsulates it. And to have been here is to have witnessed something never before seen in such abundance on sport’s ultimate stage — a deep comprehension by so many athletes of what it had taken the rest, their own rivals, to get here. In the ultimate realm of sporting competition, kindness held sway like never before. It revealed itself on TV. The young skateboarders engulfing the crestfallen, heartbroken Japanese favourite and chairing her from the arena after she fell. Simone Biles (left) embracing rival gymnasts of every nationality despite being so mentally dislocated that she could not perform. But those of us fortunate enough to have been offered the chance to report from here witnessed more. Like the boxer Nesthy Petecio, from the Philippines, seeking out Sena Irie of Japan, who had just beaten her to gold, and launching into attempted conversation. Neither seemed at all sure what the other was trying

to say but the sentiment was clear. Irie inadvertently took the bronze medallist’s seat at the victory press conference. Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi sharing their high jump gold, rather than jumping off, was the ultimate manifestation of this new dimension. It is appropriate that Tokyo should have played host to a less ego-driven approach because this is the Japanese way. The deference and patience here are something rare. Even the lamentable presence of drug-cheat nation Russia, under the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ flag, could not undermine it. The Russians’ fifth-place finish in the medal table is an indictment of the IOC’s failure to tackle this pariah, but Japan’s third place is testament to what a positive world view can deliver. And then there is Great Britain, sitting among the superpowers once more. A fourth successive Olympics with more than 60 medals. After the dark months we have passed through, that is hard to take in. And a new proletarian breed of British stars — park skateboarders and BMX freestylers — was born. As the flagbearers of the 206 competing nations moved past the Olympic flame and gathered, it felt like the world returning from isolation. Paris, next keeper of the flame, announced last night they had abandoned plans to raise the flag up the Eiffel Tower because of bad weather. But Tokyo 2020 proved grand gestures are not necessary. This event stands out as a Games of the true greats.