Our guest columnist, well-known entrepreneur Michelle Mone, has some life advice for superstar sprinter Usain Bolt.
No-one can have failed to miss Usain Bolt’s comments about the Commonwealth Games last week.
The Games have often been dismissed as one of the least prestigious athletics championships, but I’m confident anyone who has been in the city these past 10 days would disagree!
The calibre of sports, the organisation, the crowds, the sunshine, the spirit it’s been phenomenal and the “buzz” is utterly palpable.
That’s why Usain Bolt’s comments were so disappointing.
As a “Weegie”, I feel very protective of Glasgow and the Games although from my experience, I know words can occasionally be taken out of context and published in a way that was never intended.
He’s entitled to his opinion, and to dislike the Games. Maybe it was an off day, we all have them.
But it is a real shame the Commonwealth Games didn’t capture his imagination in the same way it has the rest of the world, and that he had to say so.
Usain is a global superstar and should be well aware that every word he speaks has the potential to be picked up and published. I believe humility goes a long way and a little positivity costs nothing.
The Commonwealth Games are not, and were never intended to be, the Olympics so I feel comparisons are unfair. But they are a spectacular display of world-class sporting talent. We’ve proven that with great sporting moments.
Who will forget Ross Murdoch’s face when he realised he’d beaten Michael Jamieson at swimming, or that beaming smile of 13-year-old Erraid Davies when she won bronze?
Absolutely fantastic.
Having attended some events, I haven’t come across one athlete or spectator who hasn’t been totally blown away by the Games, the city and its people. We even had some sunshine to celebrate the start of the games and let’s face it, we rarely get that in Scotland, summer or not!
The showers may have edged in since, but what we might lack in the weather stakes we made up for in our ability to cheer-on.
There was some talk before the Games that English athletes might be booed or jeered. Not a bit of it we welcomed everyone and rightly so. Plenty said their reception, and the atmosphere, was out of this world.
And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been glad politicians toned down their Referendum talk. Whichever side you are on, a break has done us all good.
Glasgow should be very proud, and I for one most certainly am. It’s not just about the quality of the events, but the lasting legacy. It’s not just about the medals won, but about the jobs created, the growth of businesses, the number of people inspired to get active, and the many thousands who will make use of the facilities now available in and around Glasgow.
I’ve enjoyed the Games every bit as much as the 2012 Olympics. All four home nations were outstanding and we’re all very lucky to have both London and Glasgow host these incredible events in the space of just two years.
Since the reports emerged about Usain’s comments, he has come out and said it was “nonsense”. I couldn’t have put it better myself!
The people of Glasgow should stand up and take a bow you’re the real winners.
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