Pastor Ken
The 2024 Olympic Games, held in Paris, France, have concluded, and the athletes are gradually returning to their home countries. I grew up in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The advent of television was just beginning, and live broadcasts were nonexistent. Shortly after each Olympics, a documentary would be showcased in the movie theaters. For about an hour, we would watch athletes from around the world strive to be the ones in line with the Olympic motto, “faster, higher, stronger.” I vividly recall the usual concluding scene: as the exhausted marathon runners entered the stadium, everyone would rise to their feet and cheer. Although the film wasn’t a live broadcast, it still conveyed the essence of the Olympic spirit, where people from different nations competed with fairness and camaraderie.
Sixty years on, the Olympics are now broadcast live to many parts of the globe. This year featured 329 events and participants from 206 countries. However, it seems that the level of audience excitement has waned, perhaps because the Olympics have become just one of many international sporting events throughout the year. Many disciplines, such as swimming and gymnastics, also have their own world championships outside of the Olympics. A significant number of participants are professional athletes who, after a brief respite, are likely to show up again at various competitions around the world. Thus, Olympics viewers often tune in to specific sports they prefer or just support their friends and relatives.
The landscape of today’s news media has transformed significantly. No longer is it monopolized by major broadcasting corporations. Anyone with a smartphone can broadcast live images globally through the internet. What were once considered minor snippets can now spark widespread speculation and discussion on social media. The impact of such content extends far beyond mere entertainment.
Take, for instance, a scenario involving two athletes from the same country competing for gold and silver medals. Conventional wisdom would suggest that regardless of the outcome, the nation’s coaches and supporters would revel in the achievement. Contrary to expectations, the actual result revealed a different story: the coaching staff appeared grim, and the audience responded with boos. This led to speculation that the prearranged outcome might not have panned out, or that political and business interests could be at play. The competition, therefore, transcends a fair contest between two athletes.
In a hurdles event, a favored athlete unfortunately tripped shortly after the start, losing her chance at a medal. In a separate competition, another athlete faltered at a crucial moment in her strongest event. Additionally, a judging error led to an incorrect point being awarded to a team, a mistake the scoring players themselves pointed out. Controversy arose in another event when the gender of the gold medalist became a topic of concern. Finally, one gold medalist took the opportunity to share her personal beliefs and honor her beloved God after her victory. The aforementioned examples merely highlight a few instances that garnered audience reactions. My deeper concern lies in how these athletes navigate their lives post-competition, regardless of whether they clinched medals or were knocked out in the preliminaries. Beyond the realm of sports, life frequently presents us with challenges that require us to compete not with others, but with ourselves. How do we push past our own boundaries to develop both our character and skills through self-discipline? When given the opportunity, how can we step out of our comfort zones to break our records and achieve our life goals? I do not presume to understand the emotions that athletes experience when they rejoice or grieve. However, I wholeheartedly wish them well, irrespective of their Olympic outcomes, and hope they embrace the challenges that life brings their way.
