Opinion: Loving Winter Olympics in a country that has no snow

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Europe

The excitement building around this year’s Winter Olympic Games in South Korea will no doubt heighten the anticipation in China as the country will be hosting the games in four year's time.

The world remembers the awe-inspiring opening ceremony for the summer games in 2008, the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium and the fantastic facilities for athletes and spectators alike. But that means far less to the host if the achievements of its athletes do not match the accomplishments of its architects and builders.

An employee works at an Olympic artwork ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, February 6, 2018. /VCG Photo

The winning performances of a country’s champion sportsmen and sportswomen in the Olympic Games produce a feel-good factor which permeates throughout a nation. How good it is that our men or women can stand on the podium with a medal that shows that they are the best in the world at their particular sport?

That feeling of pride can manifest itself in different ways too. Even if the winner isn’t local, he or she is one of us. It plants the seed of thought that with enough talent and hard work there is no restriction on a young son or daughter growing up to stand on the podium with a medal around their neck.

If you are selected for the team, gaining a medal in PyeongChang can have far-reaching ramifications for you, for the nation’s standing in the eyes of the rest of the world and domestically for your fellow countrymen and women. Added pressure for the international performers, but an issue which they must try put out of their minds.

A detailed view of the curling sheet during curling training ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Curling Center , South Korea, February 6, 2018. /VCG Photo

But here’s a question. Would a win in the Winter Olympics have the same resonance as winning a medal at the summer games? How many of us around the world have ever seen a severe snowfall, or have an artificial ski slope near us? Do we really identify with sports that most of us have never had the opportunity to play or participate in?

You bet we do!

A victory or dramatically exceeding expectations does wonder for our appreciation of what it takes to be a champion. All of a sudden the nuances of curling become a talking point in the pubs of the United Kingdom and bob-sleighing is a red-hot topic on the beaches of Jamaica.

For much of the world, that ends but not for China.

Though the northeast of the country is, of course, ideal for winter sports with snow for around six months of the year, many other areas do not see snow at all. The government, however, is changing all that. All over the country, the public desire to get involved in winter sports is being met by a government keen to meet the demand.

A view of Gangneung Olympic Village as preparations for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games continue in Gangneung, South Korea, February 6, 2018 /VCG Photo

The facilities already built and those in the pipeline are intended to raise participation in winter sports from six million to a staggering 300,000 million people. The cost will mean that all walks of society and all standards of ability can take part. But you don’t need to be a mathematician to calculate that there must be some champions of the future in there somewhere as well!

Simply getting involved in sports at any age, however, can improve not only physical health and fitness for years to come but also mental health. Personal pride can be boosted by your efforts to do the best you can in something that, indeed five years ago, you would never have thought of participating in such games. You go to school or to work with a new spring in your step. You may not be a genius at mathematics, but you can show other people a thing or two on the ice rink.

Put simply you don’t have to be at the starting gate on the big hill in the ski jump to have discovered a brand new horizon and how much better you will feel for it!

(Graham Beecroft is a British radio personality currently working as a freelance presenter, reporter, and commentator. The article reflects the author’s opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.)