In the days leading up to the competitive explosion, the media has been filled with sporting analysis, but also economic, social and, of course, geopolitical analysis. But what I have not found is a good manual for the fan who will follow it from a distance (we will be the majority), with recommendations to get the most out of an event that only comes into our lives every four years. In order to fill this gap, here are ten tips to avoid ending up scattered and lost in the face of so much quantity and quality.
- Organization. Don’t leave your choices to the last minute. Every day, before going to bed, review the next day’s agenda and mark your priorities, assuming that you won’t be able to do everything. Don’t worry. When the day is over, you’ll catch up with a couple of summaries that won’t be hard to find.
- Put aside your prejudices. Try specialties that you usually don’t pay attention to. Climbing, archery, breaking danceBMX cycling or skateboarding,among others. You might get a surprise and have a good time. It happened to me with the curling.
- Screens. We are multitasking beings, even men, and we live surrounded by screens. It’s time to make the most of them. TV, computer, tablet and phone, anything goes if it allows us to be in several places at once.
- If you get bored, move on to something else. There are so many options that you can’t waste more time than strictly necessary. It’s like with books. If you’re still not hooked by page 50, go back to the bookshelf and grab something else.
- When in doubt, the most decisive thing is to choose between a group stage match and a knockout round. We already have the whole year for endless leagues, what we want now is to live with a lump in our throats and our hearts in our mouths.
- Don’t let the flag cloud your vision. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the company of athletes and teams that don’t compete under our colors. They are adversaries, but not enemies to be destroyed.
- Forget about the medal table. At least for the first week. And remember that Spain is strong in team sports, which are decided in the last days of competition, so the harvest will go from less to more.
- Social media. There will be tons of information and the risk of spending too much time on social media commenting on the play or swearing in Aramaic will work against paying attention to live events.
- Enjoy stories that would thrill Spielberg. Every day there are a lot of stories of overcoming difficulties circulating in the media, some of them amazing and showing the capacity that human beings can have to overcome their limits or withstand setbacks. Start with the story of gymnast Ana Pérez who broke both legs, missed Tokyo, was on the verge of giving up and is now in Paris ready to give it her all in one of the most difficult exercises in gymnastics, the beam.
- Take care of your body. Stay hydrated and don’t go out for a run if you have a free moment at three in the afternoon and the thermometer reads 36 degrees. A little nap never hurts. Adopt a good body posture, as you’re going to be doing it for many hours a day and then your back can complain. And don’t overindulge in drinks or food that raises your cholesterol, blood pressure or even your abdominal circumference.
I’m going to bed, tomorrow is going to be a busy day. Rudy and Nadalcaraz’s band is making its debut. And handball, judo, gymnastics… What a great Saturday plan.
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