Like many others now, stay-at-home orders have meant a lot more TV viewing. So the arrival of the Tokyo Olympics has been a boon. Even if you are not a sports lover, there are so many stories of hardship and triumph that it is difficult not to see the Olympics as a symbol of hope. We put to one side the unevenness of the playing field and the allure of wealth that might spoil the Games for some, in order to become immersed in a kind of shared human experience running the gamut of emotions.

This morning I watched a replay of the women's 55kg weightlifting, about 90 minutes worth of pushing flesh up against steel. All the women were extraordinary, but the winner of the gold medal, Hidilyn Diaz, of the Philippines, demonstrated the kinds of moments that can bring vicarious joy and tears to all of us. Her country had never won a gold medal and her struggle through four Olympics, without government support or the largesse of private wealth, was nothing short of spectacular.

Her final lift, a world record, was such a moment of triumph that she wept, prayed and rejoiced without ceasing. I think that the people of the Philippines have a new and deserving hero. You know, I could watch that final lift and the celebration a thousand times.

127kgs.

Photos courtesy of Reuters.