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bring on the pare 0olympics
as,important
For a nation struggling with worsening COVID outbreaks and interminable lockdowns, the Tokyo Olympics couldn’t have come at a better time.
Australia has been transfixed by the competitions and by our breakout stars from the games: Ariarne Titmus, Jess Fox, Peter Bol, Logan Martin and so many more.
These athletes bring joy, amazement, pride and inspiration. And they are loved for it. But, as Matthew Klugman writes, the Tokyo Olympics have also given us clearer insight into the costs that such adoration entails.
Klugman says the vitriol directed at gymnast Simone Biles, for example, shows that when fans’ expectations are not met, they frequently react as if they have been personally betrayed. The racial dynamics of the stinging criticism and vilification directed at her, he notes, were striking.
Mental health issues were at the forefront during the games, but as Courtney Wilson and Andrew Bennie write, this can soon fade when the athletes return home to the question of … what’s next?
Their research on the experiences of 18 Australian athletes after the 2016 Rio Games shows how hard the transition to post-Olympic, “normal” life can be.
As one athlete explained to them, “When you get home it’s really lonely […] It’s quite depressing, and it is a little bit overwhelming, starting from square one again.”
We’ve also seen world records fall and personal bests aplenty on the sprinting track at these Olympics, and you may have heard new shoe technology and a springy track are responsible. It’s not quite so simple, as sport scientist Phil Bellinger explains: most of the credit should go to hard work and the lack of interruptions provided by COVID.
Justin Bergman
Senior Deputy Editor: Politics + Society
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Today's newsletter supported by The Conversation
![]()
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
The Olympics still have the power to inspire — and reveal our nastier impulses and hypocrisies
Matthew Klugman, Victoria University
In the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympics it’s worth reflecting on just what kind of meaning the games still generate.
![]()
Joe Giddens/AAP
‘When you get home it’s really lonely’: new research shows how athletes cope with post-Olympic life
Courtney Walton, The University of Melbourne; Andrew Bennie, Western Sydney University
A solid post-Olympic plan and the support of others can make all the difference when it comes to transitioning to a ‘normal’ life.
![]()
Kydpl Kyodo / AAP
What’s behind the spate of super-fast sprints at the Tokyo Olympics? Technology plays a role, but the real answer is training
Phil Bellinger, Griffith University
‘Super spikes’ and a springy track can’t take all the credit for lightning-fast sprint times at the Tokyo Olympics
![]()
Mick Tsikas/AAP
We can’t rely solely on arbitrary vaccination levels to end lockdowns. Here are 7 ways to fix Sydney’s outbreak
Quentin Grafton, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Mary-Louise McLaws, UNSW; Tom Kompas, The University of Melbourne
NSW needs to mandate masks outdoors, provide adequate financial support, set up a ‘ring of steel’, use rapid tests for essential workers, and ensure cases not in full isolation get to zero, among others.
as,important
For a nation struggling with worsening COVID outbreaks and interminable lockdowns, the Tokyo Olympics couldn’t have come at a better time.
Australia has been transfixed by the competitions and by our breakout stars from the games: Ariarne Titmus, Jess Fox, Peter Bol, Logan Martin and so many more.
These athletes bring joy, amazement, pride and inspiration. And they are loved for it. But, as Matthew Klugman writes, the Tokyo Olympics have also given us clearer insight into the costs that such adoration entails.
Klugman says the vitriol directed at gymnast Simone Biles, for example, shows that when fans’ expectations are not met, they frequently react as if they have been personally betrayed. The racial dynamics of the stinging criticism and vilification directed at her, he notes, were striking.
Mental health issues were at the forefront during the games, but as Courtney Wilson and Andrew Bennie write, this can soon fade when the athletes return home to the question of … what’s next?
Their research on the experiences of 18 Australian athletes after the 2016 Rio Games shows how hard the transition to post-Olympic, “normal” life can be.
As one athlete explained to them, “When you get home it’s really lonely […] It’s quite depressing, and it is a little bit overwhelming, starting from square one again.”
We’ve also seen world records fall and personal bests aplenty on the sprinting track at these Olympics, and you may have heard new shoe technology and a springy track are responsible. It’s not quite so simple, as sport scientist Phil Bellinger explains: most of the credit should go to hard work and the lack of interruptions provided by COVID.
Justin Bergman
Senior Deputy Editor: Politics + Society
Today's newsletter supported by The Conversation
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
The Olympics still have the power to inspire — and reveal our nastier impulses and hypocrisies
Matthew Klugman, Victoria University
In the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympics it’s worth reflecting on just what kind of meaning the games still generate.
Joe Giddens/AAP
‘When you get home it’s really lonely’: new research shows how athletes cope with post-Olympic life
Courtney Walton, The University of Melbourne; Andrew Bennie, Western Sydney University
A solid post-Olympic plan and the support of others can make all the difference when it comes to transitioning to a ‘normal’ life.
Kydpl Kyodo / AAP
What’s behind the spate of super-fast sprints at the Tokyo Olympics? Technology plays a role, but the real answer is training
Phil Bellinger, Griffith University
‘Super spikes’ and a springy track can’t take all the credit for lightning-fast sprint times at the Tokyo Olympics
Mick Tsikas/AAP
We can’t rely solely on arbitrary vaccination levels to end lockdowns. Here are 7 ways to fix Sydney’s outbreak
Quentin Grafton, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Mary-Louise McLaws, UNSW; Tom Kompas, The University of Melbourne
NSW needs to mandate masks outdoors, provide adequate financial support, set up a ‘ring of steel’, use rapid tests for essential workers, and ensure cases not in full isolation get to zero, among others.
