Lessons from the Beijing Olympics

Leaning & Innovation – August 23, 2008 By Moje Ramos-Aquino, FPM   Lessons learned from the Beijing Olympics   Thanks to Solar Entertainment (Solar Sports, C/S, b, ETC and Second Avenue) we are able to watch the games at the Beijing Olympics.    I can only describe the Olympics, past and present, in positive superlative words.  Indeed it is the greatest show on earth and it will be a big challenge for England, the host of the 2012 Games, to top what China has done.  Some of my insights are:   The Olympics is a huge profitable business especially for the host, China.  Some major gains come from sponsorships, the influx of millions of foreign and local tourists, not to mention the horde of Games officials, athletes, trainers, cheering squads of families and friends, media people, and usual hangers-on and the sale of Olympics collaterals and merchandise.  More importantly, they were able to prove to the whole world that they do not only manufacture cheap products, but they are also capable of doing larger, grander things.    No wonder that countries do everything they could to get the franchise.  The untold mileage of free exposure vua all types of mass media all over the world is more than enough reason. All major TV networks and print media are reporting directly from Beijing, including our Solar Entertainment team.    Media coverage are not only focused on the Games, but also on the cultural, business, and social life of the host country.  I have read, seen and heard about China in the past two weeks more than I have done previously in my entire life.    What other world event could attract so many world leaders and celebrities and not focus attention to them?  I saw US President Bush briefly on TV in the stands, among hordes of other spectators, smiling so widely and waving a flag after Michael Phelps won another gold medal.  Even Yao Ming and Jet Li got very little media attention compared to the athletes.   Other countries gained, too.  Most athletes from Western countries spent months prior to the Games in Japan to get used to the climate of the China area and practiced on such conditions.  Practically all Taekwondo participants went to Korea to learn and hone their skills.  We gained, too, and time will tell if that is really a gain, because the Chinese mined a lot of our natural resources to use as  raw materials to the construction of the fabulous Bird's Nest and other venues of the Olympics.   The Olympics proves that age is not a determinant of success.  Money is.  Political will is.   Many countries really gave their athletes the best training, practice, and other support that money and power can get.  I caught the tailend of an interview of one of our own Olympians and he said:  Kaya natin!  Magagaling tayo.  Kulang lang sa suporta at praktis.  Dapat ang praktis ay tuloy-tuloy at hindi pakonti-konti.  (We can do it.  We have very good athletes.  We just lack support and practice.  Practice should be continuous and not intermittent.)    All games and athletes are fascinating.  My personal favorites are Synchronized Swimming, Gymnastics Rhythmic, Synchronized Trampoline, Rowing, Equestrian and all other sports that are judged in both technical and artistic merits.  Russia's Anna Bessanova and the two Anastasias are a delight to watch.  You wouldn't think that they were in a competition.  They seem to simply enjoy what they are doing.   While Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps prove what man can do, all team sports really bring out the best in a person.   Bolt ran and Phelps swan to Olympic history by breaking world records and winning all those gold medals.  The competition was not for the best or the fastest, it was a fight to be the first at the finish line.  On the other hand, the well-coordinated play and caring for each other exhibited by the athletes in teams are remarkable and should be the model for team play on every occasion.   It was a triumph of an athlete to mind his or her partner athlete/s and move to the same beat regardless of how good he or she is.   It takes one-hundredth of a second for lightning to strike the ground.  Phelps overtook the silver medalist by as much fraction of a second.  Awesome!   Russia and Georgia athletes played against each other and ended their game with hugs and best wishes.  I pray their political leaders will do the same after the dust have settled in South Ossetia and forget about wars.   www.learningandinnovation.com, innovationcamp@yahoo.com