Waldi: The furry pioneer of Olympic mascots

Our adventure begins with a nod to Waldi, the beloved dachshund who stole the hearts of millions and was the proud first official Olympic mascot. Sporting vibrant colours inspired by the Olympic rings, Waldi made his debut at the 1972 Munich Games, symbolizing the playful spirit and camaraderie of the Olympic movement. With his wagging tail and boundless energy, Waldi set the bar high for generations of mascots to come, proving that even our furry friends have a place in Olympic history.

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Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, King Richard is a biographical sports drama film starring Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams. With a clear vision and a bold 78-page plan, Richard is set on making his two daughters, Venus and Serena, tennis legends. They practise on courts in Compton, California, where he instils in them a strong dedication and sharp instincts. Even when things get tough, and people doubt them, the Williams family works together to overcome challenges and surpass the expectations set for them. Will Smith shines in portraying Richard Williams as a father who has an unwavering belief in his daughters. He is a flawed yet inspiring figure, doing his best for their future. The child actors deliver outstanding performances. King Richard is a feel-good movie, showcasing the determination of a father striving for his daughters’ success.

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To raise athletic talents in the country the following should be considered:
1. Establishing initiatives in schools to introduce sports early, identifying and nurturing talent from a young age.
2. Introducing scholarships to support promising athletes, enabling them to focus on training without financial constraints to help encourage poor but talented athletes.
3. Investing in training and development programmes for coaches, ensuring they have the skills to identify and nurture talents effectively.
4. Educating the public about the importance of sports, encouraging participation and fostering a culture that values athletic excellence.
5. Implementing nutrition programmes to ensure athletes receive proper dietary guidance for optimal performance and recovery.
By implementing these measures at the state and central level, we can create a robust framework for identifying, nurturing, and supporting athletic talents, contributing to overall better performance in sports.
Priya Raj (14)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

To foster athletic talents in India, a holistic approach is needed. Central and state governments should invest more in grassroots sports programmes, enhance sports infrastructure, and provide better coaching facilities. Additionally, promoting a sports culture in schools and colleges is crucial. Offering scholarships and financial incentives for athletes, irrespective of their background, can help create a level playing field. Encouraging private sector involvement in sports development can also boost India’s performance on the international stage.
Divya Singh (14)
Notre Dame School, Badarpur, New Delhi

India has shown a lot of improvement in sports in recent years and it is mainly because of talented athletes and the policy of the Indian Government. To raise athletic talents in our country for better performances: 1. New planned policies should be formulated by the government. 2. The budget for sports should be raised. 3. The government should promote and encourage talented athletes who have the potential to excel at the international level. 4. It should provide good training centres and nutritious food along with better equipment. 5. It should support especially girls/women training, and also participation at both the national and international level.
Sneha Sharma (15)
St Mary’s Convent Inter College, Prayagraj

Improving athletic talents in India requires investing in sports infrastructure, implementing grassroots programmes, offering specialized coaching, providing financial support, and emphasizing sports education in schools. A collaborative effort between central and state authorities, the private sector, and sports organizations is crucial to create a comprehensive ecosystem fostering talent development.
R. Yazhini (14)
St Joseph’s Matric Hr Sec School, Nagercoil

A few measures can be taken by the government or a community to accelerate athletic talents in our country:
1. Building proper sports setup in schools with basic necessities.
2. Assurance of annual sports programmes in school.
3. Parents should be encouraged to allow their children to take part in sports.
4. Various governmental schemes and scholarships for easy access to sports for the rural community.
5. Sports insurance programmes in schools.
Sara Tamseel Khwaja
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Bankipore, Patna

Some suggestions to improve performance are: Attract young budding talents by revamping our education system with equal importance given to sports. Then world class training centres need to be developed and sports universities to be established. A categorical separation of management and sports activities. Increased investment through corporate sponsorship for funds. Integration of sports academies with schools and colleges.
Yuvraj Singh Rajput (12)
Notre Dame School, Badarpur, New Delhi

India has a rich athletic history with many talented athletes in various sports. Indian athletes have won medals at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Overall, India’s athletic prowess continues to grow, inspiring future generations.
The following steps can be taken to raise athletic talents in our country for better performances:
Provide good coaches, nutritionists, doctors, support staff.
Provide modern equipment.
Support players if they are poor.
Start from the lower classes in schools.
Teach youngsters the importance of sports in life.
Indians should develop an interest in other sports apart from cricket.
Invite foreign coaches to India to train players.
Safiya
Girls’ High School, Prayagraj

India mostly focuses on a particular sport like cricket, and rarely prioritizes other sports. The government should give equal importance to every sport so that any sport could achieve national pride. In India, the caste system is prevalent in most rural areas of the country, and it is mostly the richer sections of society that are given facilities. So while participating in sports there should be no inequality between players. There should be proper infrastructure and training facilities in educational institutions especially in underdeveloped states like Bihar and Odisha.
Ananya Mohanty (15)
SAI International School, Bhubaneswar

India is achieving great feats in the field of athletics, but much is yet to be done. The state governments should build coaching centres specifically for sports and provide financial support for the less privileged to access them. Various competitions and events should be held all over India to find those with athletic talents who may be competent to participate in international competitions. To encourage children to have an interest in a particular activity, the government should mandate that athletics be taught as a subject in educational institutions.
Aadya Kumar (13)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

This year onwards, e-sports has been recognised as an official sport at the Asian Games. India has the second largest game base in the world. However, Indian parents still take online games as a ‘mere hobby’ and see no future in it. The same goes with other sports as well. The main cause of this is the lack of awareness among people. The government should come up with promotions to make people aware of the sports world and the bright future in it. There must be sports institutions in every district and financial support should be provided to athletes. Undoubtedly, most Indians are cricket lovers and don’t look beyond it. The government should promote every sport. Additionally, schools must have good coaches and trainers so that students can build an interest in becoming athletes.
Anwesha Ajay (13)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

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Fitness and exercise are important for everyone. Playing a sport is a great way for children to take a break from academics and release pent-up energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives, as regular sports and fitness activities have proven to provide not only physical benefits but also social and psychological benefits to children. Today, let’s discuss the benefits of sports for students.

Character-building Traits

Self-confidence and self-esteem
Several studies suggest that playing sports develops a child’s self-confidence and self-esteem. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate or a handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise one’s self-esteem. An important thing to remember is that a child’s self-esteem should not be distinguished by victory or loss. It also helps when you ask, “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Manage emotions
We know how emotions run high in sports — whether watching a sport or playing it. Channelling negative emotions can be tough for children and a good coach will help them realise how negative emotional stress could hurt their performance. Such wisdom ingrained earlier on in life will help them deal with other life challenges later on.

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When I was in school, sports periods were taken away by teachers of other subjects to cover their syllabus. Was that right? Even if schools have sports facilities, there is no channel to take their talents to the right platforms. In other words, there is no proper way to channelize their talent into a career option, especially in small towns and rural India. Besides this, a sportsman or sportswoman needs a proper diet, a coach and infrastructure facilities which are often not available to them.

This gives rise to fear of failure in sports and a sense of financial insecurity in the minds of aspiring sports persons. Parents are afraid to allow their children to see sports as a possible career option except in the case of a few popular sports. Lakhs and crores rupees are given to players after they win a medal in the Olympics but many of them opt out due to lack of facilities. Not that it is wrong to award the sports persons who win laurels for our country and make our nation feel proud, but at the same time, I think our country is failing to utilize the real potential of its young people to its optimum level. The government needs to work hard in this regard, so that one day India becomes one of the top-ranking nations in international sports arena.

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Chess Boxing is a brain-meets-brawn sport combining chess, a cerebral board game, and boxing, a physical sport. Competitors fight in 11 alternating rounds: 6 rounds of chess and 5 rounds of boxing, and a victory in either chess or boxing ends the contest. The sport was invented by French comic book artist Enki Bilal and adapted by Dutch performance artist Lepe Rubingh as an art performance, subsequently becoming a competitive sport. Chess boxing is popular in India with more than 1,200 registered chess boxers, 35% of whom are women. The motto of the World Chess Boxing Organization is: “Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board”.

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Dear Pravin,

You’re feeling quite frustrated that you have to ‘conform’ to this ‘imaginary’ standard, especially to gain the approval of your parents and peers. Looks like you’re also feeling hurt and rejected and now see yourself as a ‘failure’.

Think about it…would you really like people to flock around you because you have achieved at sports? Or would you prefer them to like you for who you truly are?

You used the word ‘perform’ for both your studies and sports. How about looking at both from a different angle and instead ‘enjoying’ whatever you do?

So, whether you take up sports, or music, or become a geek…it is your choice. When you like yourself for who you are without judging yourself and you enjoy what you do, you begin to exude more confidence and happiness…and this is what will attract others to you!

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“Play to your personal strengths” is what I always tell students who come to me for an answer to the eternal question whether academics matters more or extra-curriculars. The question is objectively almost impossible to solve as every admission and scholarship committee is different and their objectives of giving the scholarship are different. If academics is your strength then make that your key card and vice versa. There are certain skills that we acquire predominantly through academics like the ability to research, critical thinking, interpreting data, etc. But extra-curriculars, on the other hand, give you an opportunity to develop your soft skills like leadership, team skills, communication, etc. So probably maintaining a balance and working towards an all-round personality is what will benefit you the most in life as far as your long-term career planning goals are concerned. However let’s take a closer look at how extra-curriculars, especially sports, activities can hone your personality further and make you that much more unique.

Life Skills and Sports

When I say that “sports can really help build your character” I don’t really mean playing a sport in your neighbourhood without any routine, or attempt towards skill development or for that matter watching a game of soccer in the middle of the night! Watching a game passionately on TV (however big) is not really a symbol of your excellence. The true benefits of any activity, including sport, accrue when you try and push your talent to the limit and involve yourself in it as professionally as possible. So if you are interested in cricket make a local club, have a team, look for opportunities to compete, play with discipline, benchmark your growth, etc. Giving it your all whilst balancing your academics will help you pick up those essential life skills.

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