What have young rowers in the United Kingdom, a tennis player in Russia, weightlifters in China and football players in Argentina got in common? They all want to achieve their dreams and become champions. Their combined ongoing efforts to reach their goals are linked to one of the key questions that will be discussed in October 2009 at the XIII Olympic Congress in Copenhagen: Is competitive sport still appealing?
The views of the different youngsters vary. “For me, it is already a great satisfaction and success when I manage to carry out a new technical element properly”, says the young rower in Hensley. The young Russian tennis player is categorical: “I want to become number one in the world”. The Argentinean boys all dream about playing in the first division. In China, weightlifting has benefitted from the success and all the medals Chinese athletes have won. “We can see a real passion for this sport and many young boys and girls have decided to take it up … and for some, strive to become Olympic champions,” says a coach in a Beijing gym.
The discussions and debates in Copenhagen will certainly dig deeper into the issue, and analyse it from different perspectives. Other leisure activities and so-called fun sports will be examined, and their impact on young people and Olympic sports analysed. For youngsters who are already champions in their chosen sports, the appeal is obvious.
