‘Bliss was it in that summer to be alive, but to be in London was very heaven. It wasn’t the finest summer of sport we have ever known: it was better than that. It was the finest celebration of humanity in a quarter-of-a-million years of our existence.’

Those were big words from Simon Barnes in The Times on Monday, and that was before Andy Murray clinched an epic victory against Djokavic in New York. The Olympics, the Paralympics, hey, Andy Murray alone; it has all been an amazing spectacle to behold and to be part of. But what next? And what next if you were privileged enough to be one of this summer’s gold medal winners?

There’s a great little video over at the BBC asking exactly that question, and interviewing the likes of Matthew Pinsent, Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis. What happens after the massive high of winning gold? Can it satisfy, and was it even meant to? Or are we simply resigned to running from one moment of thrill to the next, always chasing the feeling contentment?

What do you think? Interesting to hear journalist Matthew Syed paint the ‘lull’ after victory as both a positive and a necessity in encouraging us to go after the next ‘thing’. Surely that’s a sad predicament if we’re just destined to be forever chasing things? Intriguing too to hear ex-triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards suggest there may be something else that does satisfy, whilst almost in the same breath remarking that he has personally ‘lost his faith’.

HT: Reuben Hunter