I am so excited to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony tonight! Breaking with tradition, the ceremony will not take place in a stadium but on the banks of the River Seine. We are in for a real showstopper where sport meets musical theatre. With a star-studded line up, the ceremony is becoming more ambitious with every Games. This year around 10,500 athletes from 206 Olympic national teams will parade through the heart of the French capital. I just love watching the faces of the athletes as they enter the world stage. The feelings of anticipation and excitement are palpable.
It makes me emotional to see the delegations from the countries in Asia and Africa where we work. Having seen some of the places where they grew up, I am inspired when I see them competing in an event that unites the world.
The good intentions and a spirit of unity are undoubtedly there. Everyone holds fast to the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. Yet, as in every aspect of life, it is far from a level playing field. Is Team GB really so much 'better' at sport than the nine countries in which we work in Asia and Africa?
Statistics show that we have won a total of 915 Olympic medals over the centuries. This compares with the collective 126 medals from Ethiopia, India, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. Despite taking part, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal have never medalled. There is no doubt that elite sport doesn't come cheap. It costs billions to train and develop athletes and build facilities for those athletes to train in. Money and opportunity that simply isn't there for those growing up in the communities in which we work in Asia and Africa.
We have seen it on a national level here in our own country. Those with longer memories will remember the disappointment of the Atlanta 1996 games for Team GB. We won just one gold and 15 medals overall. A quarter of a century on and Team GB won their 100th gold since Atlanta at the Tokyo Games in 2021!
National Lottery funding is widely credited for our Olympic success in recent years. Denise Lewis, the only British woman to win a medal at Atlanta, describes herself as a "master of her own destiny". As a young athlete she was left scrabbling for funding for physios and scans while training with part-time coaches. "You can only do what you can and you're born in the era that you're born into," she wisely surmises.
To me all Olympians are true heroes. They demonstrate grit, determination and talent far beyond that which money could ever buy. Yet it is the stories of those overcoming the hurdles to success that really warm my heart. These athletes are living proof that literally anything is possible with the right breaks and the right resolution.
There is so much to do when it comes to changing the fortunes of those running the race of life. Success can only come through opportunity. And at The Leprosy Mission we're passionate about providing opportunities for young people to achieve their own greatness. Our Vocational Training Centres in India are just one of the ways young people affected by leprosy have the chance to build an amazing future. They can learn trades from banking and insurance to sewing technology and diesel mechanics. These special places of learning truly provide a pathway out of poverty. They are somewhere where youngsters from tough backgrounds can achieve their full potential. Just as with the Olympics, there have been some incredible success stories. Real life stories where entrepreneurship and leadership skills have been nurtured and unleashed.
Last year nearly 600 young people in India graduated from our training centres. I am so excited to see the fruits of their labour as they find their footing in their own race through life. I'm rooting for each one to achieve gold!
