Sarah Harte: Our Olympians are the embodiment of true patriotism

Patriotism or civic nationalism creates a sense of solidarity with values of equality, freedom and tolerance. It’s what we are seeing daily at the Olympics, writes Sarah Harte

Sport brings us together patriotically. It’s something we should remember tonight when we’re watching Irish woman and superstar Rasidat Adeleke run in the semi-final of the women’s 400 metres. Photo: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

This column is delivered by an armchair expert couch potato. A person eating meals in front of the television and snatching quick toilet breaks. 

I could never even manage a credible head-over-heels as a child, but now I confidently opine that a gymnast has done themselves no favour on the pommel horse by allowing their hips to dip too low or that their routine was insufficiently complicated to score high points. On that note thank you Rhys McClenaghan for winning our first-ever gold medal for gymnastics for Team Ireland.