Token gesture doesn't float my boat
BRITAIN'S Olympic Sailing team became the latest bunch of medal winners to receive a deserved heroes' welcome on Thursday.
The top team, that scooped medals in six of the 11 classes in Beijing, were treated to a champagne reception in London, the city where they hope to complete a clean sweep in four years time.
However while no gift would ever better the gold, silver or bronze medals that were hanging around their necks, I was a little surprised with what the heroes of the high waves received from the organisers of the homecoming.
For years these sailors have spent hour after hour in their trusty boats, breaking sweat as they battle against the unpredictable elements that mother nature throws their way and no doubt a few tears have been shed while they have been cooped up in their vessels.
So after all that painstaking preparation surely they would be forgiven for not wanting to venture near a boat for a couple of weeks while they put their feet up. And what were the GB team sailing team each presented with - a model of a boat!
Surely that's the equivalent to giving a plumber a golden spanner, a builder a diamond-crusted trowel or a waste collector a silver bin on a plinth.
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Andy Walker - Sunday Mercury sports writer
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I had not heard about this until I read Andrews article.
I'm absolutely disgusted by what I read. These people are out representing and putting the 'Great' into Britain and all they get as a thanks from their home country is a model boat!?!?
Its these people that give Britian its identity and makes the rest of the world see just how good we are (the chinese translation for Great Britain is 'Country of Heroes') and the government is more interested in handing out money to people who frankly couldn't give a flying duck about this place than giving the Olympians a more fitting reward.
I disagree. I am fully behind all our successful Olympians and they have done us proud. However, all of them have already benefited from lottery money and the majority of Olympic sports are elitist and not open to everybody. They deserve a pat on the back, our gratitude and perhaps even honours - be it a pub being named after them or the Queen showing some formal recognition.
What else do you get someone who has just won a gold medal? Nothing else compares. Well done lads and lasses, lets make it an even better haul in 2012!
The Olympics were great this year. I still think we suffer in the track and field, but anything involving water or on a bike we almost dominate (with the exception of one M Phelps!!). London 2012 should be good for Great Britain, just wish it was in Bham, instead of London, but hey.
Perhaps the southerners intend to go give all the athletes model boats at 2012?? Strange!