Patrick Johnson urges Australia to grab the opportunity of a home Olympics
Australia’s fastest man Patrick Johnson has called the 2032 home Olympics an opportunity to bring the whole of Australia together, after he joined a group of Olympians inspiring kids in the NT.
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Australia’s fastest sprinter sees the Brisbane Olympics as an “incredible opportunity” to make real change in society for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Olympian Patrick Johnson, who ran the fastest 100m of any Australian when he clocked 9.93 in Japan in 2003, is part of the organising committee for the 2032 Games.
And while there’s plenty of work to do, it’s the legacy of the games and what it means for the next generation which he’s most passionate about.
Johnson spent the past week in Katherine for the Olympics Unleashed program where Olympians spread their message to communities who don’t often see elite sportspeople.
It’s through these sorts of trips where he hopes to inspire future talent, which otherwise would go unearthed, and also bring the whole country together in the Olympic spirit.
“We can only be successful in the Olympics if the whole country is on board or feel they’re a part of it,” he said.
“There’s a lot of legacy work we need to do, making sure it’s environmental, accessible, there’s First Nations engagement, and its stuff we can’t just talk about but actually drive towards that.
“It’s got to be more than just a sporting event, it’s got to have a real change in society and it’s going to be that because a legacy to the games and actually more so after the gap.
“We talk about closing the gap as a thing we do for Indigenous communities, but it’s a thing all Australians should be doing because it’s not just one culture but the culture of the whole country.”
Johnson is one of many Olympians visiting remote communities as part of the program where big names such as Mack Horton and Nova Peris have shared their journeys in schools.
But beyond inspiring kids to pursue careers in sports or to become Olympians, Johnson sees it as a chance to ensure young people realise the lengths they may have to go for their dreams.
His own journey started by accident when he started running at the age of 24 without any training. Four years later he was in the 2000 Games, and then he broke the Australian record.
“It sounds glamourous but there’s a lot of hard work, a lot of injuries, a lot of persistence and resilience, and you have to have support from family and friends,” he said.
“You’ve got to go through the trials and tribulations to get to the top, it’s never going to be easy, but if you really want something go for it and turn your dream into reality.
“I never dreamed to be an Olympian, but I wanted to be the best in running, I loved running and the freedom it brought and I continued to live out my dream, even when it got hard.
“I think there’s a real opportunity in sport to be a vehicle in change, health and well-being and education, and I would have loved a program like this when I was young.
“It’s not just about the Olympics, but being healthy, being respectful and about being together and growing stronger as a community, all those little things we might take for granted.”
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