Happy Friday everyone! As many of you will know, today is extra special as the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics takes place tonight! Fun fact - this evening’s opening ceremony will be the first to happen outside of a stadium with athletes parading in boats along the Seine. Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of Paris to celebrate the beginning of world sport’s greatest event. 

There are so many reasons to love the Olympics, not least the stories of the athletes and teams that train for years and travel from all over the globe to compete. Often the Olympics draw out the very best elements of sport. Determination, consistency, resilience, hard work and team spirit all abound. 

For those of you who can’t get enough of the Olympics and its inspiring stories, Team GB have partnered with Young Minds to release some insightful YouTube content. There are brilliant, honest conversations with athletes about the journey they’ve been on to reach the Paris games. There’s so much to learn from these elite performers and their honesty is a reminder that they’re human too. For young people particularly, hearing athletes talk candidly about their ups and downs can be super encouraging; dream big, you CAN! 

I highly recommend you check out the videos to get in the Olympic spirit. You’ll find the ‘Out in The Open, Team GB x Young Minds’ playlist linked below. My favourite is gymnast Max Whitlock’s interview with BMX’er Kieran Reilly. You’ll hear about the difference in pressure between being an underdog and a champion, self-talk tips like “talk to yourself as if you were someone you cared for'', and what it's like to realise even the coolest looking competitor is feeling the nerves on the inside. 

Don’t forget to share the Phase blog with your friends and let us know what your favourite Olympic event is. Have an amazing weekend! 

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