By Vanessa Cort
DESPITE the fact that the recent World Cup football competition was clouded by allegations of bias and racism, there were still many moments of joy and camaraderie.
A great example was the ‘Tartan Army’, Scotland’s travelling supporters, who drained pubs and taprooms, causing a massive beer shortage in Boston, US.
They warmed the hearts of locals with their easy charm and willingness to blend in, lending their support to any athlete they found worthy.
And the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Scotland once more showed the world how athletes from little-known and small nations can shine at international meets.
The tiny, South Pacific island of Nauru (now known as Naoero, its traditional name) was represented by weightlifters, two of whom claimed bronze medals.
Seventeen-year-old Emily-Crystie Notte and her colleague, Ezekiel Moses, continued their nation’s proud weightlifting legacy with their dual successes.
Notte, considered a weightlifting prodigy, made history as a standout junior competitor, also becoming the first female athlete to win a medal at this year’s Games.
Since first competing in the Commonwealth Games in 1990, Nauru has won at least one medal in every appearance. The country’s star athlete, Marcus Stephen, won multiple gold medals before becoming Nauru’s president.
Nauru is represented almost exclusively by weightlifters, who are familiar figures at the Games, enjoying widespread support. Their medal cache now totals 33, with 10 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals.
Notte said that weightlifting was “huge” in her country and practically a national sport. She grew up watching legends like Stephen and followed her older cousins who lifted, recalling, “Once I lifted my first clean and jerk, I was hooked”
Like so many international athletes, her goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games and win a medal. And like all athletes from small countries, she is aware that her success is a matter of familial and national pride.
“I block out all the noise. I tell myself that I have done this thousands of times in training. I visualise achievement, take a deep breath and remind myself to lift for my family and Nauru”, Notte said, after her win.
Another young, female athlete from a small country, but an entirely different sport, has been making a name for herself and filling her nation with pride.
At every appearance on the tennis court, 21-year-old Filipino Alexandra Eala is cheered on by her countrymen, who are unapologetically delighted with the success of this rising star.
She has made history as the first Filipino to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level singles title, break into the top 20 in singles rankings and reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam (major tournament). On her way, she defeated several top seeds and won the hearts of tennis fans around the world
Eala not only beat top seed Jessica Pegula to win the title two weeks ago, but did so coming from behind in a match that was spread over two days because of rain.
I watched this match, as I have followed this young woman’s career since she received a ‘wild card’ entry to a tournament two years ago and remain impressed with her quick progress and improvement.
She plays with a certainty that belies her youth and newcomer status and has the uncanny ability to adjust her game or raise her level as the match requires. She is neither intimidated nor overwhelmed by top-seeded players and rises to the occasion, encouraged by enthusiastic fans.
A graduate of the Raphael Nadal Academy, Eala has been a credit to both the institution and the founder for whom it was named. She has been inspired by recently retired Nadal, a tennis icon and winner of 22 Grand Slams, calling him her biggest idol and mentor.
With her achievements, Eala has revived interest in tennis in the Philippines and was honoured at a presidential reception on her triumphant return to her home country.
President Ferdinand Marcos praised her with words applicable to all young athletes and especially those from small countries, when he said, ” You continue to redefine what is possible for Philippine tennis and inspire countless young Filipinos to dream without limits”.
And, indeed, young athletes like Alexandra Eala and Femily-Crystie Notte not only exemplify the best in sport, but, in a world with so much conflict and tragedy, they allow us to smile in a spirit of togetherness.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.