THAT wonderful armchair feast of sport the Rio Olympics gets under way on Friday and most of us cannot wait.

There is nothing that gets the adrenalin going – other than actually taking part in a sport – than watching Team GB members vying with the best of the rest of the world’s athletes.

The Rio Olympics will no doubt be the usual blend of personal triumph and national controversy but it won’t leave us indifferent or unemotional.

And, while the top athletes make their sport look particularly easy, it’s worth bearing in mind that they’ve reached this pinnacle by devoting their lives to it. They train hard, probably daily, and put the rest of their existence largely on hold.

We may get behind the top competitors like Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis Hill, willing them on to greater glory in our name so we can at least vicariously share their triumph but one way to pay tribute to their dedication might be to take up a sport ourselves. Worth a thought.