Willie Wood, Man of Steel

In the midst of all the abuse that the Organising Committee of the Delhi Games are taking (or at least were till a couple of days ago), one man is telling the real story about the spirit of the Games. The abuse comes largely from people gifted with skin of which the hue is several shades lighter than the locals, and those of us who tell stories on newsprint or espouse wisdom on TV.
The Commonwealth Games are perhaps the only big-ass, multi-event games that afford people as young as 12 and as old as 72, the chance to compete. And while world champions and olympic gold medallists, prime physical specimen, men and women who we would all want to have as the fathers or mothers of our children, are dropping like flies, Willie Wood will battle Delhi's mosquitos, humidity, searing heat, and represent Scotland for the eighth time in the Games that celebrate the British Empire, as part of their lawn bowls team.
It should have been 10, but Willie missed out on the Games at home in Edinburgh, in 1986, when he was fighting with the Scottish Bowls people, because they wanted him to put all his money in a Trust. Wood made his debut for Scotland in 1966, when my father was just a couple of years younger than I am now. In 2007, he was inducted into the Scottish sporting Hall of Fame. Normally, that means one of three things; that the player is retired, has one foot in the grave, or also has the other foot, head, arms, shoulders, and everything else, in the grave with the first foot.
If you suggest that to Willie, he would probably just laugh. He says he still plays for 10 hours at a stretch on some days; and golf when he isn't practising or competing. He feels 30 years younger than his years, making him, with a due respect, a good contender for some serious wood, on a regular basis. But then i would never ask him that. Turns out i cant ask him very much at all, because after two full days of interviews, the Scots have decided that he needs time to focus on practise. Perhaps they will let him loose if he wins a medal, though, the team's media manager in Delhi told me. If he does win a medal, he will add it to the two commonwealth golds he already has, including one in singles competition.
For those who say bowls is not a sport, I have very little time. It may not be as intensely physical as rugby or wrestling, and it may not require the stamina needed to run the marathon, but Willie will spend long hours getting baked under the Delhi sun (which incidentally decided to reappear after weeks of beautiful weather that brought the city, parts of the country, and very nearly the Games, to their knees), both when he is training, as well as when he competes. And the sport requires intense concentration.
In January, the legend was battling for his spot on the team in extreme conditions of the opposite sort. Britain was freezing, and the Norfolk coast, where he was competing, was as cold as an eskimo's arse (and to preempt questions, no I haven't visited one of those, I've only heard they're pretty cold).
That was indoors; here there will be no respite. Despite the sheer physical violence, never mind the threat of violence of the terrorist kind, that Delhi unleashes on those kind enough to visit, Willie told the Telegraph months ago, "I would have no hesitation going to Delhi. You can find yourself in bother anywhere in the world these days, why single Delhi out? You wouldn't say London is the safest of places either, would you? Whatever will be, will be."
Many of those who are pulling out are injured. Many others have more important events to go to, but then there are those who just can't be bothered to make the trip because of the sheer physical discomfort of competing here. To those in the last lot I say, and I hope Willie won't mind my saying that so does he, a very polite up-yours.