On the day that Andrus Värnik became, with a mighty heave of the javelin into the skies of Helsinki the first ever Estonian world champion in track and field, local Toronto newspapers devoted considerable space on their front page to a new cellphone aimed at the school-age market. It strikes one as telling in many ways - the priorities of comfortable well-off Canadians are not in pursuing fitness, striving for excellence, but rather for the latest electronic gadget.

Estonians worldwide rejoiced in Värnik's achievement. It needs noting that this was hardly a bolt out of the blue, pardon the pun. Two years ago Värnik showed he belonged at the elite level with a silver at the worlds. His triumph Wednesday was also not the only world-class result by an Estonian. Earlier Gerd Kanter won silver in the discus, losing gold only on the reigning two-time Olympic champ's final toss. The champ - a Lithuanian, Virgilijus Alekna. The bronze medallist from the last Olympic games, Aleksander Tammert just missed the podium. Three of the top four in this event combing skill and strength were from the Baltics.

In the decathlon, long recognized as deciding the best all-round athlete in the world, Estonia's Kristjan Rahnu placed sixth, Mikk Pahapill finished 12th in his first competition at this level. Both show the promise to became a worthy successor to 2000 Olympic gold winner Erki Nool. (It bears noting that Värnik had Heino Puuste to look up to, whose javelin toss of almost 90 metres at Athens in 1982 gave him second place at the European championships. And then there is hammer-thrower Jüri Tamm, double Olympic bronze medallist, and also one-time world record holder in the event.)

Estonia is proud of her track and field competitors, and the very fact that there is a long history of success in the above fields spurs youngsters to emulate their heroes, perhaps themselves one day to hurl, heave, sprint and leap with the world's best.

In contrast, Canada, a country drawing from a more than 30 times larger population had as of writing failed to reach the podium, and the nation's only visible hope, defending world champion hurdler Perditia Felicien failed to reach the finals of her event. The comparison between the two countries is almost night and day.

Without a legacy of success, there is little incentive for a youngster to pick up track and field. Consider that Värnik's victory came in Finland, a country that has had a rich history of success in the javelin, both at the worlds as well as at the Olympic games. The Finnish press has been bemoaning for some time the fact that since Seppo Räty no javelin ace has stood on a podium of significance. Does Canada's press do the same?

It all starts, however, with the very young. In Estonia there is hardly anyone - of any age from school age on who has not at least attempted a shot put, hurled a discus, thrown a javelin. Can Canadians say the same? The school system is at least partly to blame. In the Toronto area, while track and field competitions still exist, most schools simply do not have the equipment or trainer/teacher coaches, with the desire and passion to urge youngsters to exceed expectations. Money is often cited as being the problem. And with the majority of public school funds provided the system by the taxpayer going towards wages, benefits and administration it is little wonder that only a few schools are able to dedicate attention to budding track and field athletes.

Then there are so-called "safety" issues that often border on the absurd. Administrators in public schools routinely wussify sports for safety reasons. Grade schoolers playing softball with plastic bats and hollow balls, to avoid potential injury should accidental contact be made is but one true, if borderline absurd example parents have faced. Outdated gear and practice facilities are another cause. Again, monies are not going towards maintenance of stadiums, playing fields, jumping and throwing pits.

One should hardly be surprised that health care professionals are warning against the increasing trend towards overweight children if not outright obesity among our youth thanks to the decline of gymnasium time, athletic competition (which are coached and run during non-standard teaching time, thus the first to be cancelled when union members begin work to rule.) A fatter pension fund for the teachers, fatter children on their cellphones is the obvious result.

Further - compare the street scenes of Toronto and Tallinn. You'd be hard pressed to find overweight children -or adults for that matter - in any numbers in Tallinn, but a visit to Yorkdale or Fairview malls during the best summer days for playing some basketball reveals many such teens, feverishly clicking away on their portable Play Stations or Nintendo double screens, working on further strengthening already powerful thumb muscles.

Indeed, there is a world of difference between Estonia and Canada, which is best exemplified by the attitude generated at all levels towards athletic competition. One is certain that the majority of Estonians had one ear tuned to the Helsinki championships broadcasts while performing their work-day duties this week, and the collective roar after Värnik's triumphant cast probably was deafening. In Canada, news of Felicien's latest failure reached only a few diehard fans live, most people, if they even cared, found out only on their evening newscast.



Competitive sports, especially on an individual level, can be a very unifying thing, a nation-bonding experience. Nowhere is as exciting and riveting as at the Olympics or worlds. The thrill of competing truly beats the trill of a ringtone, a national uniform means much more than a designer coverplate, and throwing the javelin farther than anyone else sure is better than posting the highest score in the bowling game that just happens to be available on that cellphone. Canada's sport nabobs could learn plenty from the example of Estonia, truly a country of champions.

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