Fun and games

Norway’s gold rush can teach us plenty about our grassroots failings - if we let it

- Cath Bishop

Heidi Weng wins one of Norway's 18 Winter Olympic gold medals, crossing the line in the women's 4x7.5km cross-country skiing

(EVGENIY MALOLETKA/AP)

Norway’s Olympians stormed the mountains of Milano Cortina and left the rest of the world wondering how a nation of 5.6 million people regularly tops the Winter Olympics medal table, this year winning 18 gold medals and 41 medals overall.

They’re not bad at the Summer Olympics either, despite not playing to their obvious national geographical strengths, winning four gold medals and a total of eight medals in Paris 2024. But all this talk of medals detracts from looking more closely at what the Norwegians do to create one of the best and most sustainable sports systems in the world.

Reports have highlighted that there is no competitive sport in Norway for youngsters before the age of 12. Now think of all of Britain’s early talent-identification schemes, endless mini-leagues and ubiquitous “pathways”. Consider all those extra practices to secure the next trophy, anxiety over rankings, disappointment over selections and the “devastating losses” on a weekend that should just be another ordinary yet fun day in a child’s life. Remember also the army of volunteers required to adjudicate, select and keep score in sport, rather than support, encourage and spread joy.