Friday, August 10, 2012

Inspiring A Generation!




I have been bitten by the Olympic bug… and I LOVE IT!

Thinking back a few weeks I was being a typical Londoner, moaning about how hard it would be to get to work. Why did we have to put up with all the nonsense mutter mutter grumble grumble.

Then I was persuaded to watch the opening ceremony and I will admit I was hugging a pillow happy to hide behind it if it could cringeworthy and embarrassing. Within minutes the pillow was forgotten as I watched mesmerised, moving from laughter to tears back to laughter.  By the time Her Maj had thrown herself out of the plane I was converting.

The next day I hobbled up to Hyde Park Corner to watch the end of the Men’s Road Race (hobbling due to broken toe – another story). And by the following Wednesday I had happily taken possession of a friend’s spare ticket to the hockey.

The Olympic Park was amazing (and rather too large for someone with a broken toe). Happy volunteers, smiling troops and this amazing buzz made all the more amazing as halfway through the morning GB won their first gold.

Since then I have been unable to tear myself away from the sport. TV on, refreshing websites trying to get my next fix, as fascinated by the stories of how these athletes got there as much as the actual performance. What dedication, what strength… it takes your breath away.

As I write YA I am looking at many of the female athletes some of whom are the same age as my heroines and thinking ‘what great role models they are’ but also, because I’m a writer, what is their life like? How difficult is it to be a teenager and that talented? I want to take the strength of those rowers, swimmers, the first female athletes from certain countries, boxers, taekwondo and weave it through my stories. These are the heroines and role models to inspire a generation!

Me? Well I’m trying to work out what sport I can take up to get me to Rio 2016. The damn broken toe is an issue though, so am thinking archery. Now if someone could just teach me how to do it then I’ll be on the road to gold.

What has inspired you the most about the Olympics?

Come back on Sunday to find out what sport Susanna will be doing in Rio 2016

2 comments:

  1. I was exactly the same, Biddy, and am now totally hooked! I've never liked sport (either taking part or watching, except for ice hockey), but now the TV is on all day here too! They are truly amazing these athletes, we can only watch in awe.

    Let us know how the archery goes - we'll come and cheer you on in Rio :D

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  2. Same here, times two - newly hooked on the games, and as I'm a veteran of several broken foot-bones, you have my heartfelt sympathy!

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