It may be taking place in a very different time zone, but the Olympic Games is already producing lots to be excited about. Every day, Great Britain’s medal haul has grown, with several golds already in the bag.
Some sports fans will take pride in the success of the whole team across a wide range of different sports, but there is no doubt most people will have their favourite events and pay particular attention to certain stars.
Girls may take inspiration from the performances of many top female competitors, such as Beth Shriever, who became our first ever BMX gold medallist.
Charlotte Dujardin won bronze in the dressage to become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, with six medals in all during her career. At the other end of the scale, the women’s team gymnastics brought a bronze, the first medal Britain has won in this event since 1928.
Perhaps the most inspirational moment came from triathlete Georgia Taylor-Brown, who showed incredible resilience to secure silver despite a calamitous puncture on the last lap of the cycling leg.
Unfortunately, anyone wanting to see netball will be a bit disappointed, as this is not actually an Olympic sport. The reason for this is because the IOC rules require that all sports now be open to both male and female competitors – and a lack of a men’s netball scene means the sport misses out.
However, anyone keen to see some netball events will not just have to make do with domestic action in the UK, as next year will bring the Commonwealth Games to Birmingham. The different British nations will compete separately, with England defending the gold medal they won in 2018.
Whether you want to play netball or any other sport, this is a great time to get inspired and get involved. And remember – the first thing to do is enjoy it, have fun and learn the value of being part of a team. Dreams of gold medals can wait until later!