The Paris 2024 Olympics opens on Friday. For the next two weeks, thousands of athletes will front crawl, fence, pole vault, slalomA race down a winding path, with obstacles. You can have canoe slaloms or ski slaloms, for example. , horse ride, trampoline, hammer throw, shot put and race walk their way into history. 

Fresh faces will bid for glory. This year's young contenders include China's 17-year old Quan Hongchan, who will defend her gold medal for the 10m dive. American relay runner Quincy Wilson is only 16 - the youngest man to represent his country on the track.

There are promising British hopefuls. Artist gymnast Abigail Martin will only pick up her GCSEThe national exams taken by 15 and 16-year-olds in parts of the UK. results after the games. Ninteen-year old Penny Healey will make her Olympic debut in archery. She picked up the sport after watching Pixar's film Brave. And 16-year-old Lola Tambling will join the record-breaking Sky BrownA British-Japanese skateboarder who represented Team GB in the 2020 Olympics aged 13. in the skateboarding competition.¹

We sometimes think of athletes as heroes. And in a sense they are. Becoming a modern Olympian takes immense effort. It requires dedication to a strict training regime. It demands the will to succeed. And it needs the courage to face failure in front of an audience of millions.

Great athletes can serve as role models. Swimmer Michael PhelpsAn American swimmer and the most successful Olympian of all time. has raised awareness of ADHDAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental health condition that can cause above-normal levels of energetic and impulsive behaviours. and mental health.²

Some think we give them too much credit. Many have a geneticRelating to genes. Each of us has around 20,000 to 25,000 genes. We inherit them from our parents. Although most of our genes are the same as everyone else's, the small differences make us unique. advantage. Phelps has a huge wingspanThe distance between the ends of the wings of a bird or aircraft., double jointed ankles and an enormous 12-litre lung capacity^.3 Plus his body produces half the lactic acidA chemical produced by the body when cells break down carbohydrates for energy. of the average athlete. Is he a hero - or just lucky?

Heroes are good. But being good at sport does not make someone a good person. Basketball player Charles Barkley once said: "I am not a role model."

A great writer can change the way we see the world. A scientist can cure diseases. And a rescue worker can save lives. Should we not regard these people as the true heroes?

But should athletes be our heroes?

Yes: Athletes are strong and brave. They inspire others to try their best. They do things with their bodies that defy gravity and wow crowds. If this does not make them heroes, what would?

No: True heroes forge their own path. They do something that no-one has attempted before. Athletes, by contrast, follow the rules. They stand for repetition rather than change - and so are not heroes.

Or... We have no choice. From the chariot track to the football pitch, there is just something impressive about great physical feats. We are programmed to worship those who push their bodies to the limits.

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