Zizi Sparks: Olympics the perfect time to be patriotic

The Olympics are happening whether you like it or not. Photo / INPHO/James Crombie

OPINION:

Every night this week, I've found myself plonked in front of the television in drastic contrast to the people I'm watching on the screen.

That's because I've been watching the Olympics.

I wouldn't consider myself a huge sports fan. I follow a few Olympic weightlifters on Instagram and have an interest in that, but I don't sit and watch tennis opens, golf or even sevens.

But for two weeks every four years (five in this case) I find myself a sporting expert and hugely invested in every sport and athlete - Kiwi or not. In preparation for the Olympics, I looked up the schedule and noted down the times for key events I wanted to watch.

I joked about calling in sick for two weeks, watched a Black Sticks men's match even though I can't name a single member of the team and watched a handball game I don't know the rules to.

With that being said, many say the Olympics should not even be proceeding in these Covid-19 times.

As of last Saturday

there were 127 Covid-19 cases

related to the Olympics.

The estimated cost to Tokyo is now more than US$20 billion and they aren't getting visitor spend.

The games bring athletes from all over the world into a potential Covid-19 melting pot and then send them home to potentially spread it to all corners of the globe.

But it is happening now, whether you like it or not, so it's time to be patriotic.

Already in this year's Olympic Games, we've seen Kiwi and Bay of Plenty lad Hayden Wilde win an emotional bronze in the men's triathlon before helping another competitor across the finish line.

We've seen weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz win the Philippines its first-ever gold and records fall in multiple sporting codes.

The Olympics are a chance to see humans at their prime doing things you didn't think were possible.

Women are clean and jerking double their body weight, and people are getting ready to run 1500m in less than four minutes.

They are achieving incredible things.

In the office, we've also found the Olympics a prime opportunity to learn some geography and world knowledge. We've read about Bermuda, can now pinpoint Turkmenistan on a map and have watched sports we'd never seen before.

So whether you love sport or not, think the Olympics should have been cancelled or not, take the time to get patriotic.

If not now, when else can you be?