Simon Parker column

“Wow, look at his six pack,” came the admiring shout from across the road of our holiday camp site.

That’s kind – and extremely generous – of them to notice, I thought, before realising the object of this unexpected praise was our former racing greyhound.

But then, it’s easy to get a bit giddy and carried away after the Olympic euphoria that has swept over the whole country.

Suddenly we can all dream that there’s a bit of athlete in us even if, for most, that will be limited to dashing to grab the TV remote control before anyone else.

There’s no denying that the Games brought a genuine feelgood factor to every corner – and blimey, we certainly needed it during these depressing times.

The corner of north Wales where we spent last week was certainly gripped by the teenager from Flint that struck gold in the taekwondo.

Martial arts generally leave me cold but the reaction from 19-year-old Jade Jones to her victory summed up the total joy of those 16 magical days.

Flinging her helmet into the air, she launched into a tribal scream – a completely unscripted celebration that got across the raw emotion of medal glory.

Now, of course, the inevitable sinking feeling. Monday morning television seemed so dull and colourless without our daily dose of rowing, dancing horses and, if the missus is out the room, a naughty glimpse at the women’s beach volleyball.

In short, life had returned to boring normality.

The talk is of keeping that Olympic legacy alive. The Games will not pay for themselves; let’s face it, the cost of the whole shebang was obscene.

London, and Great Britain in general, can only bask in the glow of happy holiday makers for so long. Hosting the Olympics has to be worth more than a fortnight’s fantasy.

It’s about the legacy of what we have just been privileged to witness. What follows over the next four years and beyond is just as important as the heroics from messrs Farrah, Ennis and Hoy – possibly even more so.

I don’t want to read about new legislation that could allow schools to shrink the size of playing fields when we should be looking to expand them.

I don’t want to hear of a generation obsessed with reality nonsense, fake celebrities and Playstation.

We should be doing all we can to encourage more and more youngsters to get outside, get running, get jumping, get doing anything active.

It’s easy to get wrapped up right now. Just like the way tennis courts are jam-packed through Wimbledon, athletics, cycling and gymnastics are the current buzz sports as we look to emulate those Olympic heroes.

But it’s about keeping that momentum going into next week, next month, next year. Do that and the Games will have earned a priceless reward.

And who knows, maybe we can start to replace the nation’s beer gut with a collective six pack.