Olympic Medals and Population

So the Tokyo Olympics are over and the medals are coming home, and yes there will be disappointments, but it is a big but, every one of those athletes went and represented their country to the very best of their ability.  And yes, if we just look at medals, as one newscaster did when he stated that the United Kingdom had done as well as in Rio or London (a  statement now proven to be at least half incorrect).   The United Kingdom has achieved more than London and only slightly less than Rio – an absolutely brilliant result when considering the pandemic’s impact and comparing Olympic medals against the population.

It is very easy to forget that the United Kingdom is fifth in population size in the top ten medal winners, which means that for every 1m people in the population our Olympians achieved a medal.  This is absolutely stupendous when you compare that again People’s Republic of China (1 med per 16.4m), the USA (1 medal per 2.9m) or the ROC (1 medal per 2m).

It is estimated that at least 182 ‘out athletes’ from about 30 countries attended the Tokyo Games. 

…At least 55 of those athletes, who competed in 35 different sports, won medals — five nabbed gold for Team USA women’s basketball alone. In fact, if the LGBTQ Olympians competed as their own country — affectionately labeled “Team LGBTQ” by Outsports — they would rank 11th in the total medal count (right behind France and before Canada), with 32 team and individual medals: 11 gold, 12 silver and nine bronze…NBC News

Our Olympians are marvellous. and wouldn’t it be wonderful if the media realised this for more than just the two weeks of the Olympic Games!

Links:

• World Population Review
• Olympic Medal Count
• ‘Team LGBTQ’ earns 32 medals at Tokyo Olympics
• TOKYO OLYMPICS: 10 INSPIRING GAY AND BI MALE ATHLETES TO LOOK OUT FOR
• The Conversion Therapy Saga