Ah, but it's not about the sports, is it?

No, I won't watch Flettix or swimming next month either, but it's not about the appeal of the sports, it's the effort and emotions of the competitors. I'd never heard of Stephanie Proud, but she failed to make her swimming final, and cried on my telly. That hug between Grainger and redgrave told us everything about her journey in a way that a thousand paragraphs of teary prose couldn't equal.

The competitors have invested so much time, energy and devotion to their chosen sport that we as viewers can't help but pick up on it. I'm moved when I see a delighted Swiss or Latvian waving a medal and beaming at the world in general, and the feeling is amplified when it's one of ours. I'm not a particularly nationalistic person, I don't thump my chest and feel British when any of ours win, I'm just delighted that someone has brought joy to so many people who live near where I do.

The Limpix is brilliant. It was brilliant in Beijing and it'll be brilliant in Rio. It's especially brilliant right now 'cos it's right in front of us (and conveniently scheduled!). One can't help but be swept up in it. It *almost* makes me feel like I might look at the tennis.

Posted By: Sugbad The Bad on August 5th 2012 at 11:59:56

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