While I’ve been watching far too much of the Olympics this week and trying to justify that it’s part of my research, I’ve noticed a vibe that I feel is different to previous Olympics. Many of the athletes seem to have an authenticity about them, it feels like athletes are more comfortable being their true selves at these Olympics. I don’t know if it’s because there are no fans, maybe it’s the increasing diversity, or it could be the greater acceptance of prioritising wellbeing amongst athletes, but there seems to be a greater importance being placed on being at the Olympics, not just winning at all costs. Here are some of the heart warming moments that I’ve noticed:
- The calm fist bump and smiles between Anton Down-Jenkins and his coach after each dive – Anton is the first male diver to represent Aotearoa at the Olympics since 1984. He stuck to his game plan for a consistent performance, making it through to the semi final and then the final where he placed 8th overall in his first ever Olympics! Afterwards, Anton shared that he had felt overwhelmed when he first arrived in Tokyo but the NZ psych support available helped him, as did seeing Simone Biles share what she was going through.
- Bev Priestman, coach of the Canadian women’s football team, was the only remaining female head coach of the four semi finalist teams, and won to make it through to the final against Sweden, being played tonight Aotearoa time.
- And Quinn, a member of the Canadian women’s football team, will be the first transgender intersex person to win a medal at the Olympics after the final tonight.
- Team GB diver Tom Daley knitting a pouch to store his gold medal, was spotted in the stands knitting a dog jersey while watching his teammates, and has knitted an Olympic cardigan to commemorate the event. He apparently took up knitting during Covid-19 to help get through the lockdown.
- The confusion by the commentators at Dame Valerie Adams’ huge excitement when she realised she’d won bronze – Valerie later commented that this bronze means more to her than her previous gold, while holding a photo of her son and daughter that she had between these Olympics and the last.
- The welcome back to NZHQ that the women’s rugby 7s received from the other Aotearoa athletes after winning gold, which apparently is now how all medallists are welcomed back to camp.
- Wahine toa Lisa Carrington now holds the title of greatest Aotearoa NZ Olympian with six medals – five gold and one bronze – and she has one more race to go! The semi final for the K4 500 is tomorrow.
- When Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italian Gianmarco Tamberi both cleared a high jump of 2.37m but failed to clear the next bar they both agreed to share the gold and instead of doing a jump off. The two athletes are friends and Barshim gave emotional support to Tamberi coming back from a serious ankle injury.
- The kudos that the Black Ferns 7s players give to their opponents in post match interviews, especially when Ruby Tui dropped into an interview that some of the Black Ferns donated to the Team GB women’s 7s fundraising efforts after the women’s funding was cut by Sport UK.
- The huge smile and hug Aotearoa triathlete Hayden Wilde gave when he crossed the line in third place to his “opponent” Alex Yee from Great Britain who won silver, and then helped carry the Norwegian gold medallist Kristian Blummenfelt to medical assistance, followed by Wilde’s touching post race interview and the massive hug he received from fellow Kiwi triathlete Tayler Reid (who finished 18th).
- A must watch is the interview with Laurel Hubbard the day after her event where she became the first transgender woman to compete at the Olympics but after three no lifts was knocked out of the competition, This interview will show you a kind, thoughtful, humble woman, and all she wants to do is participate in her sport because of the joy she gets from it.
- Simone Biles is supported in her decision to withdraw from some of her events in gymnastics for her wellbeing, Naomi Osaka paving the way for that decision to be more accepted and inspiring other athletes to prioritise their wellbeing.
- The peak audience in Australia for the women’s football semi final between the Matildas and Sweden was 2.32 million, with an average of 1.8 million, the largest audience for a women’s team sport in Australian tv history.
- Melbourne fighter Harry Garside, who is in the semi final for lightweight boxing and guaranteed at least a bronze, takes ballet lessons to help his boxing, has painted his nails the colours of the Olympics rings and almost wore a dress to the opening ceremony, because he felt like it.
Away from sport, a must watch is a special edition of The Hui that aired this week, where Mihingarangi Forbes interviewed Emeritus Prof. Michael Corballis about a letter he penned with five other University of Auckland academics published in The Listener who have said Mātauranga Māori is not “scientific” and shouldn’t be included as part of a Māori NCEA subject. His comments, which include admitting he doesn’t know anything about Mātauranga Māori, were reviewed by an amazing panel of Māori academics, Tina Ngata, Dr Rangi Mātāmua and Melanie Mark-Shadbolt.
Check out all the media headlines in women’s sport for the 6 August right here.
Alida Shanks 