What an incredible two weeks of sporting action we have just been treated to!

So sad to see it come to an end yesterday, but the overriding feeling is of national pride at how Team GB fared across such a wide variety of sports. Our athletes have provided the home nations with a genuine feel-good factor which I think everyone needed after such a turbulent couple of months of uncertainly and upheaval.

These past couple of weeks the Olympics have been an event of national focus which has allowed even those people who don't usually care much for sport to feel part of something special. And what clear evidence these games have been in the value of a shift in national priorities in the mid-90s.

There will have been many athletes competing in Rio who will be too young remember that GB only won a single gold medal in Atlanta in 1996. But it is those individuals, and by extension the rest of us supporters, who have benefited from John Major's government directing funds from the fledging National Lottery into sports training, coaching and of course vitally, facilities and playing surfaces.

Looking at the final medal table this morning gives tangible evidence of the success of this incredibly important funding. But not just of individual success or of a general feel-good factor - much more importantly is the opportunities it has afforded communities across the nation to get involved and try a whole host of sports for themselves. Access to well-maintained facilities is providing enjoyment and health benefits to people of all ages and abilities.

So hopefully these past couple of weeks of intense focus on the glory of sport will not allow this momentum to let up.

However, concerns have been expressed recently by the Association of Play Industries (API) that the government’s much-delayed obesity strategy is lacking the bold, brave measures, as heralded by David Cameron before his departure.

Mark Hardy, API Chair, has said, “We are bitterly disappointed that no policy action has been taken to improve opportunities and facilities for children to play and be physically active in their local communities. Families tell us that they want their children to be physically active, but many are unhappy at the dwindling state of local play facilities.

The API does see some positives for funding from the recently introduced soft drinks levy though.

Mark Hardy said, "We welcome the levy and hope the revenue generated will enable every primary school to increase opportunities and improve their facilities for physical activity. However, we believe the government should replace the Sport and PE Premium with a broader Physical Activity Premium. This would extend the reach and impact of funding, and encourage schools to think beyond the limits of sport and PE lessons. There are many ways for children to be physically active, with outdoor learning, play and gardening just some of the ways to get children moving more throughout the school day. The strategy’s healthy rating scheme for primary schools may also help encourage this wider approach to tackling physical inactivity.”

So hopefully our new leaders will take strong heed of this morning's joyous headlines and keep the funding levels for both sporting coaching and the professional upkeep of the facilities at the top of their agenda. It is so important for both future gold medal hopefuls and for the nation's fitness.