For the past two weeks, as the Rio Olympics unfolded, the world witnessed the triumph of the human spirit on a scale that has few parallels in the global arena.

As a sporting competition that calls out to all nations, the Games evoke a powerful sense of patriotism in the mere spectator even as the individual sportsmen and women strive their utmost to earn glory for themselves and their countries.

So the Games naturally evoke a sense of yearning for national excellence and easily offer lessons on what is required for one to make a mark in the world.

There are astonishing stories like that of 23-time gold medallist Michael Phelps, whose medal haul makes him the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, and Usain Bolt, whose double victory in the 100m and 200m in Rio gives him the title of the fastest human being ever timed, with eight Olympic golds to boot.

Their achievements are clearly inspirational, showing what is possible if we are prepared to develop our natural endowments with dedication and single-minded effort.

But it is just as apparent that for every Phelps or Bolt who takes the crown, there are scores of extraordinary athletes whose performances are no less stunning than the undisputed kings or queens of their game.

Literally, the difference of a fraction of a second, or of a point, that separates the winners from their challengers has no real significance in terms of the epic quality of the contest. Invariably, we come away from these events with an abiding respect for all the contestants — for all the discipline that they had to undergo to qualify for the Games, the mental stamina they need in order to survive the stress of competition, the emotional strength to cope with giving everything that they have got and yet coming in second best, and the sporting spirit to take it as a game.

Yes, there is much that can be learnt from these Games.

Another prominent feature of the Olympics is that a good many contestants are not natives of the countries that they represent, but when their national anthem plays as they stand on the podium, the pride that they feel, which drives some of them to tears, is clear for all the world to see.

Those emotions probably did not show up during the long hours of training that they had to put in to prepare for the competition, or when the challenges they may have faced made them think of giving up at some time or another, but they surface suddenly in that magical medal ceremony to make all the sacrifices they had had to make seem worth every bit of it.

For our nation, which tends to give a racial slant to every little event, the many examples of such colour-blindness that are seen in sports can heal our vision if we open our eyes to the universal qualities of competition that athletes show at the Games.

Here, strategy can trump strength, the fighting spirit can help a competitor snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, an indomitable will can bring a contestant charging to the front at a crucial moment and mental poise can separate the victor from the vanquished.

This we can see again and again in over 40 sports that make up the Games, bringing 11,000 athletes from 205 countries to Rio.

If we can celebrate the competitive spirit that brings out the best in these athletes of every size, shape and colour, isn’t it a shame that our vision becomes communally-tinged once we turn our gaze towards home?

To take a lesson from Rio that we can use to bring out the best in our people, we could agree to a set of rules that nurtures the spirit of the Games.

This will enable a level of competition that is beneficial for our common well-being, encourage people to strive their level best to excel in their chosen pursuits, foster appreciation of each person for the gifts he or she brings to the arena, protect contestants from unfair interference, recognise achievers for their contributions to the community, and so on.

It is often said that we only produce our best results when we face great challenges. The Olympics is a clear demonstration of the truth of this saying.

Another remarkable aspect of the Games is the spirit of sportsmanship that surfaces even in the midst of the most intense competition. For the Rio Olympics, a defining moment in this respect was when US runner Abbey D’Agostino helped her New Zealand competitor Nikki Hamblin get up and continue a 5,000m heat after the two had tripped and fallen.

Taking the spirit of sportsmanship to the national sphere, there are many opportunities for us to lend support to our compatriots who have tripped over in the race to a better life.

If we get in touch with the sentiment that brought out the caring side of D’Agostino, we will clearly be aware of when to temper our will to get ahead with the desire to share our joys and sorrows with our fellow beings.

R B Bhattacharjee is associate editor at The Edge

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