Congratulations to shooter Abdullah Hel Baki for earning a silver medal for Bangladesh at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Few will be surprised that it was Bangladesh’s only medal win in the 53-nation event. This was almost as predictable as global superstar Usain Bolt delighting the crowds with his contribution to Jamaica’s successful relay team.
We should be asking how our country can begin to nurture world-class sporting stars of our own to match our population’s size.
Of course, without overcoming poverty and poor nutrition, we can never seriously expect our population to match its potential in any walk of life, let alone in ever more competitive world sports.
However, this does not mean that there is nothing to be done.
We already have large numbers of people interested in every facet of sport.
And in the long term, economic growth means that more sponsorship is likely to become available for talented individuals who need full-time training resources to gain the vital edge needed to achieve international success.
What is needed most immediately however is more mass participation in sport. Colleges and schools must work together with sporting associations to markedly raise rates of sporting activity.
Attitudes must change. Both boys and girls should be encouraged to take part in sport from a young age.
Businesses, government and sporting bodies should work together to build more sporting facilities to help lower the barriers which reserve competitive sport for the few.
For health reasons alone, it is imperative we get more people participating in sport anyway. Any future medals nurtured in the process are a mere bonus.
