Olympic games provide unique unifying therapy which brings nations and citizens together, however momentarily.
Differences and difficulties are forgotten so as to applaud the very essence of human endeavours, as women and men get a chance to showcase their individual talents in front of an objective global audience.
Ever since the 1960s, Olympics have been a special moment for Kenya, having established a niche global position, which was to be improved on every four years.
That the Tokyo Olympics actually happened was in itself triumph against all odds. The just concluded ‘2020 Olympics’ happened one year late, in the midst of a serious unexpected resurge of Covid pandemic across the world.
This was also a time when most news from all corners of the world was mostly negative – devasting fires in Southern Europe and western USA, floods, Afghanistan on verge of civil war, and Covid pandemic turned into resistance politics in USA and Europe.
Here in Kenya, it was the acidic premature electoral rhetoric. Tokyo Olympics was a most welcome escape as many switched their channels to watch the games.
Olympic games provide unique unifying therapy which brings nations and citizens together, however momentarily. Differences and difficulties are forgotten so as to applaud the very essence of human endeavours, as women and men get a chance to showcase their individual talents in front of an objective global audience.
Ever since the 1960s, Olympics have been a special moment for Kenya, having established a niche global position, which was to be improved on every four years.
When the Tokyo games closed on Sunday, Kenya was number 19 globally with a total of ten medals including four golds, and number one among the African nations. A stellar performance indeed considering all the odds surrounding Covid restrictions that may have affected our team’s preparations.
The Kenyan team and its managers, indeed stand congratulated by all of Kenya. Specifically, Eliud Kipchoge, the men’s marathon winner demonstrated yet again the power of focused and stretched target setting. With repeated successes, he has earned himself, and indeed Kenya, a special place in the world of sports
It was not easy for the government and people of Japan to agree and accept that the games could proceed in the face of a Covid pandemic that kept changing its severity. For the government, it was perhaps one of the most stressful risk/benefit analyses that the country has undertaken.
The country had already invested heavily in sports infrastructure in anticipation of an economic return. The public had always planned to watch the games in person.
Activist pushback against hosting the games argued that hosting the games would heighten Covid spread.
In the end it was no longer a matter of economic gains for Japan, but national honour for the country to safely host the games on behalf of the world despite all odds.
Once the decision to proceed had been made, it became a stringent program to minimise Covid risks, a major challenge considering the sudden emergence of the fast-spreading Delta variant.
And Japan did a commendable hosting job under the prevailing circumstances. As a host country, Japan also put-up good performance in the sports ending up number three in global medals tally..
For those who watch the ever-shifting global geopolitics, one could not fail to observe how during the just ended Olympics the nation of China stretched itself to become a global sports giant.
China was a very close second in Olympics performance to USA, its global political and economic competitor. It would be interesting to analyse and find out how China prepared itself to achieve such success in the just-ended Olympics.
Back to Kenya, there was a time when Kenyan sports was heading towards becoming an “economic sector” with plenty of dollar inflows from athletes’ earnings abroad.
And this prompted prioritisation of sports infrastructure (stadia) in nearly all counties. Yes, there is need to rejuvenate spending on sports promotion at both national and county levels, including targeted hosting of regional and international sports to grow “sports tourism”.
And I am sure it is along these lines that President Uhuru has recently been pushing for a return of international motor sports, an area that Kenya previously excelled in hosting and participating.
Indeed, all promising games and sports should be stabilised and supported especially in areas of professional management and budgetary support.
Finally, Japan’s determination and success in hosting Olympics in the midst of Covid Pandemic is an indication to Kenya that the economy can indeed be diligently managed in the face of the pandemic.
