Australia

‘Nothing was a handout, we’ve had to fight’: Clancy, Artacho del Solar proud to bring back silver for Australia


The American journalist had the best of intentions when he asked Taliqua Clancy ahead of the Olympic beach volleyball final what her success at the Games would mean to “her people”.

At first it wasn’t clear whether he meant all Australians, or if he was referring only to Indigenous Australians.

The other half of the soon-to-be silver-medal-winning team, Mariafe Artacho Del Solar, shot her taller teammate a quick glance to read the reaction.

There was only a slight pause before Clancy answered that it would mean the world because she remembers the moment she was inspired; it was when Cathy Freeman ran like the wind to claim 400m gold at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Freeman is still inspiring her.

She sent Clancy a video message ahead of the quarter finals which the beach volleyballer said has been played “again and again on loop since she sent it”.

Clancy has made it clear numerous times at the Games that she hopes her achievements inspire “all” kids.

Sometimes the way something is asked, may not be the way it is heard.

It’s possible that while people are naturally proud of their heritage, they might just want to belong to a team instead of always being put into that ‘other’ box.

It’s the same for Artacho Del Solar. Her heritage is Peruvian, but she is a member of the Australian team. A full, card-carrying member — not an associate member.

Another Australian who has been applauded for his achievements in Tokyo this past fortnight is Peter Bol.

While his family is originally from Sudan, he is a full member of the Australian team. He is Australian.

It’s amazing how many ways, though, somebody can be asked to justify how they are Australian while most members of the team would never be asked such questions.

Lawyer Nyadol Nyuol wrote about Bol in the SMH this week: “I want to untie his personal achievements from the yoke of “the refugee” who “was born in Sudan but fled the war-torn country when he was four”, so that he may stand in his own glory, just as we revelled in Rohan Browning’s achievement without needing to know which disaster he survived.”

This journalist has been guilty of it too.

In wanting to know and understand more about ‘the other’, our questions reveal our ignorance and our persistence in separating ‘us’ and ‘them’.

We say we don’t have a race problem but then we continue to point out the differences.

Clancy, Artacho Del Solar, and Bol are not the other; they are us.

Two Aussie beach volleyballers hug afte
Mariafe Artacho del Solar (facing) and Taliqua Clancy have formed a partnership that has taken them to an Olympic bronze medal.(

AP: Petros Giannakouris

)

As Nyuol pointed out, their diversity in heritage and unique experiences is in addition to, not separate from, them being Australian.

Fighting competing tears, some for the joy of being an Olympic silver medallist, others for the disappointment of not winning gold, Clancy addressed a similar question after the final.

“That’s what makes our team so special, that’s why we click,” she said.

“As much as it is a very different story and journey, it is very, very similar too and our coach is Maori … and Brad, our assistant coach, is Aboriginal too.

The head coach is Kirk Pitman, who brings all the experience of a former touring professional beach volleyballer who competed for New Zealand. His dad is Maori, his mother Dutch.

Picture of Uluru, with three kids and a message: "Reaching high in the heart of Australia, those who stop dreaming are lost."
Coach Kirk Pitman wanted his team to bond as a group with Indigenous heritage, so he made an image urging them to dream big. (

Supplied: Kirk Pitman

)

When he and the team first came together to plan their road to Tokyo he created an image that pulled together the Indigenous heritage of all three, using that as a foundation enabling them to dream big.

The heart of that dream was symbolised by Australia’s most iconic image, Uluru.

Pittman says: “It was almost like fate that we connected and went on this journey.”

“I think our strengths as a team have been our similar values, the Indigenous connections and the tight-knit team we are – like family.

“We have had success now for over three years and overcome so many challenges, I have massive faith in the girls.

“It was an amazing opportunity to be here in Tokyo and represent Australia.

“They are true warriors. I am very proud of both of them. What a journey.

“We have created memories that will stay with us for a lifetime.”

Artarcho Del Solar said: “Everyone’s got a story about why they are here and how they got here.”

“Everything happens for a reason at the right time as well.

The family bond in Indigenous cultures is particularly strong.

Clancy says talking to family back home, who couldn’t be here because of COVID restrictions, has been one of the toughest things about these Games.

“Speaking to family back home [after the final] was tough, that’s been probably one of the hardest things … we really just can’t hug our families and celebrate with them, and it makes me want to cry … just missing them so much,” she said.

Australia's Taliqua Clancy lets out a roar of triumph after taking a set in a beach volleyball semi-final in Tokyo.
Taliqua Clancy has experienced joy as part of a medal-winning team, but she says not being able to be with her family has been tough. (

AP: Felipe Dana

)

Clancy’s mother, Shannon, is a Willi Willi woman from Eidsvold, population 574.

She raised Taliqua mostly in Kingaroy, a much bigger town, but still not like the city lights in Brisbane where they relocated so her daughter could pursue her sporting career.

Clancy was late to beach volleyball – first it was netball and swimming, then indoor volleyball, then beach.

“This has been a long time coming,” Shannon said.

“When she was about thirteen she had a really good netball coach who taught her about the discipline and hard work needed to play sport at this level and since then she’s always had a really good work ethic.

“You see a lot with Indigenous kids they don’t always want to leave home.

“You see it a lot with the footballers, they always end up coming back.

“I was always sending Taliqua away if there was a sporting camp or a trip to go on.

It’s paid off. Clancy’s name is in the Olympic record books, “and that can never be taken away from her”, her mother says.

When asked about her daughter’s journey to get to the Olympics, Shannon says, “I was thinking about that all yesterday … all the little moments”.

“At the end of the day I’m just happy for her standing on that podium.”

Was she watching with family? Friends? Did she cry?

The Tokyo Olympic slogan is ‘United by Emotion’, something Taliqua and her mum can relate to this weekend.

Something we can all relate to, no matter what our background or the life experiences we might have had.



Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button