Bach of the net
IOC’S DECISION TO GO ON IS VINDICATED
THOMAS BACH doesn’t need an excuse to look smug, but he has one anyway.
Just a few months ago the majority of people on the planet didn’t want the Olympic Games to take place, for obvious reasons.
In light of the pandemic, asking athletes to travel to
Tokyo from all corners of the globe felt wrong.
There would be more cases, no supporters and competitors had to somehow produce peak performances at the biggest event of their careers, despite spending almost 18 months having to train in isolation due to lockdown measures.
The morality of the occasion was called into question – and even the residents of Tokyo themselves didn’t want their home invaded by strangers, increasing the risk of making the pandemic worse.
But Bach, who is president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was unable to stomach the financial implications involved should these postponed Games from 2020 be cancelled.
And thanks to the superhuman effort, courage and talent of all those athletes involved, Bach (left) has been vindicated. The Games have been inspirational and uplifting in equal measure to provide a heartwarming example to future generations of just what can be achieved with dedication and desire.
Team GB have done themselves proud with one of their most successful Games in history.
So many medals have been won that had the squad all returned to the UK on the same flight, the plane would have struggled to get off the tarmac.
Apologies in advance to anyone overlooked, because the list of heroes is so long.
But up until going to press, Team GB had bagged more than 60 medals in total, with some of the stories behind all the success helping to cement the Olympics as the greatest sporting show on earth.
We’ve seen redemption for Tom Daley, who finally won gold at the fourth attempt, while triathlete Jonny Brownlee also got his hands on a medal of the same colour to complete his career.
There were also golds for Kate French, Katie Archibald, Giles Scott, Oliver
Townend, Hannah Mills, Max Whitlock, Ben Maher, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Alex Yee and Galal Yafai – who was working in a car factory six years ago and now has Team GB’s first boxing gold in the flyweight division since 1956.
Adam Peaty was peerless in the pool, helping himself to two golds along with Tom Dean, who contracted Covid not once but twice in the build-up to the Olympics.
Then there is super mum Laura Kenny, who became the first British woman to win gold at three different Games with her fifth track cycling title.
Kenny, the wonder woman from Essex, is now Britain’s most decorated female Olympian in history.
Team GB have exceeded all expectations and when it comes to downright drama, excitement and entertainment, so have the Games.