Katie Price or Katie Taylor

Just returned from a week in London with our daughter Judith, and the joy of being with her was compounded by the incredible experience of being in London during Olympic fortnight. The feelgood factor was riding high and made London a genuinely enjoyable place to be. Even when the rain soaked us, standing to watch the women's marathon, the normal miserable mood was surprisingly absent.

To add to all the superlatives offered up by the British (and world) media about the overall experience, I would have to say that it was the role models that these young athletes with their golds and silvers represent for the upcoming generation. Whether it was two young brothers from Coleraine with their silver for rowing, or the girl from Sheffield who stole the hearts of the Saturday night crowd, or the young Somali immigrant who defied logic with his successes in the 10,000 and 5,000 metres, they all stood out from the conventional wisdom of what defines fame and celebrity status.

The difference can not be better exemplified than contrast between the two Katies. One, Katie Price, a manufactured pop idol/glamour model/media celebrity who, at the tender age of 34 has already managed to pen not less than four autobiographies about her life so far, and the other, a simple girl from Bray, Co Wicklow who happens to like boxing. When she, Katie Taylor, received her Olympics gold medal for Ireland, she is reported as having said “I’m here because of the grace of God in my life and because of Jesus in my life and without him I'd be nothing really. So praise God, thank you Jesus for such a great victory today." 

Her faith comes so natural to her and it was so refreshing to listen to, but, quite apart from the spiritual angle, just like Jessica Ennis, Laura Trott or Nicola Adams, she comes across as a genuinely nice young woman who has shown that you don’t have to be all plastic and starry eyed in order to become someone in this world of ours. Hopefully more young people will find some inspiration from these and other young Olympians, and not be sucked in by all the drivel that’s offered up in the media day after day.

www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/david-quinn-like-ring-skills-katies-religion-comes-naturally-3195805.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19094324