If you win an Olympic medal but no one's ever heard of your sport, does it still count?Better believe it. The United Kingdom certainly does, so much so that it has crafted its entire strategy for the 2012 Olympics around the principle.
While major sports (except soccer) have never been Britain's strong point, it appears that reality is. UK Sport, Britain's equivalent to the US Olympic Committee, has announced that it is aiming for fourth place in the national medal count at the 2012 Olympics in London.
The United States, China, and Russia are beyond the UK's reach, and they know it. But if all goes according to plan, everyone else might be beaten.
The plan is to train capable athletes in sports where competition is limited -- like team handball and flatwater canoeing -- even if the athletes themselves have never played or heard of the sport before now.
From a strategical standpoint, it makes sense. A gold in sprint kayaking counts for just as much as a gold in men's basketball, so why not focus your efforts on the sports in which medals are attainable? And from the athletes' perspective, it's the opportunity of a lifetime: free room and board, the chance to be an Olympic athlete, and a decent shot at winning a gold medal.
While major sports (except soccer) have never been Britain's strong point, it appears that reality is. UK Sport, Britain's equivalent to the US Olympic Committee, has announced that it is aiming for fourth place in the national medal count at the 2012 Olympics in London.
The United States, China, and Russia are beyond the UK's reach, and they know it. But if all goes according to plan, everyone else might be beaten.
The plan is to train capable athletes in sports where competition is limited -- like team handball and flatwater canoeing -- even if the athletes themselves have never played or heard of the sport before now.
From a strategical standpoint, it makes sense. A gold in sprint kayaking counts for just as much as a gold in men's basketball, so why not focus your efforts on the sports in which medals are attainable? And from the athletes' perspective, it's the opportunity of a lifetime: free room and board, the chance to be an Olympic athlete, and a decent shot at winning a gold medal.
"It's just walking out those doors at the opening ceremony, shaking like a leaf with all my mates," said Tom Marshall, who has been recruited for flatwater canoeing. "I'm already getting that spine-tingling feeling."
Britain schemes to come in fourth in 2012 Olympics (Wall Street Journal)
Britain schemes to come in fourth in 2012 Olympics (Wall Street Journal)
2 comments:
Setting aside that Great Britain and the United Kingdom are two different things...how is soccer a strong point?
England has won one World Cup (over 40 years ago) and never won the European Championships (two third place finishes) and Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have won exactly nothing soccer-wise.
The U.K. did win three Olympic soccer gold medals, but the last of those came in 1912!
I fixed "Great Britain" to read "Britain." My mistake. As for soccer, I was simply referencing a sport in which the UK is relatively strong, especially compared to the US. But I checked the history books, and you're right: no medals of any kind since 1912.
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