Cross-Cultural Conversations

Observations by a Malaysian studying in Australia

For The Love Of The Game

 

After a century being away from home, the Olympics has finally returned to Athens, to the delight of the sports-crazy Aussies, and particularly Melburnians, many of whom are of Greek heritage.

 

As The Sunday Age’s Agenda puts it, “Across the nation, people are cramming into pubs to watch the fun on big screens, sink pints of squirt, smoke packs of cigarettes, and generally celebrate the glory of health and fitness.�

 

Given the time difference, it would be a challenge for me to watch the sporting events live at the ungodly hours of between 2 and 4 am, and it is a challenge I would not aspire to overcome.

 

However, I did manage to catch the 400 m freestyle event, repeat, of course. As Ian Thorpe swam the last 100 metres, only a fingertip ahead of Grant Hackett, my heart was beating with suspense and anticipation in much the same way the hearts of octogenarians would pump as they watch a riveting game of mid-afternoon lawn bowls.

 

I may not be an Aussie, but since I’m living here I might as well support the Australian contingent. They are, after all, a very impressive team, with a clear potential to win many medals in the Games. I’ve always admired how Australia, a country with a relatively small population, and adding to that, an increasingly obese society, can produce so many world-class athletes.

 

Even though the officials, the media, and the athletes themselves endlessly talk about the Olympics being a celebration of the human spirit, the coming together of humanity without national boundaries, the glory of the mind and body and many other philosophical feel-goods, for many of us it all boils down to national pride and a sense of belonging to our country.

 

Being Malaysian, there aren’t many opportunities for this sense of pride to be bloated and boasted around. The only area which we seem to dominate is badminton, and even so, our dominance has never been consistent. Then again, we can never be certain who will win and at the end of the day each athlete has just about as much chance to succeed as the next competitor.

 

That said, let the Games begin! And let the Aussies (and hopefully, a few Malaysians) win!

posted by: Tembaga2 at 11:08 | link | comments |