Local athletes need city's collective support
But Toronto is also home to a diverse group of elite athletes who will test their skills against the best in the world in Beijing at the Olympic Games that kick off this week. Nearly two dozen athletes who call Toronto home (many of them have been pursuing their sports discipline in far flung locales) will carry the best wishes of the city with them to their athletic events.
These Olympic Games have certainly been marred by the ugly politics of the region, the Tibetan uprising and other issues that continue to bedevil the Games' Chinese hosts.
But put aside, just for a moment, such thoughts and focus on the men and women who have been training - for years in many cases - to represent Canada at the highest level of their sport.
These athletes need the city's collective support to demonstrate we believe in them, their abilities and their keenly focused efforts in working to represent the city and this wonderful country.
If sailing is your sport of choice, keep a good thought for Toronto natives Jennifer Provan and Martha Henderson. Those with an interest in swimming can support several Toronto-based athletes who will be reaching for new heights in various events, including Savannah King, Alexandra Komarnycky or Tobias Oriwol. There are equestrians, gymnasts, martial artists, archers, cyclists and more.
The common denominator among them all, along with their unrelenting and individual commitment to be at their athletic best, is that they belong on some level to Toronto, to all of us.
And it's no easy feat being an Olympic athlete in Canada. Many athletes struggle to achieve greatness in their discipline in isolation. Some have to manage families and jobs as well as Olympic training. Still others have seen dreams dashed in a stretched ligament, an uncharacteristically slow ride, or, in the case of one Toronto archer, a re-contested competition.
It's true that sport transcends borders, religion and geo-politics. Athletes from around the world, whether from a democratic republic or a dictatorial theocracy, meet to compete against the best. They seek only the glory that comes with athletic achievement. Our Canadian athletes, including the impressive roster of Toronto natives and residents, compete in these games with our best wishes and with the notion of these Games at their foundation: faster, stronger, higher.
May our athletes compete fairly and strongly, serve as ambassadors for our city and country, and bring their best to these Games.
