Editorial: Expectation mounts for golden haul

The greatest sports show on earth gets under way on Saturday morning.

Yes, it is Olympic time again, so get ready for some late nights and very early mornings.

It is compulsive viewing and London is promising to wow us with a spectacular opening ceremony and some great events.

There is something about the Olympics that turns even the most casual of sports fans into an instant expert on the most obscure sports.

Suddenly we all know everything there is to know about sports we would normally never give the time of day. Sometimes one can find oneself getting very tense watching the trampoline event and, after a couple of hours watching the women's 10m air rifle contest, most of us know all the jargon.

Then there are the stars. Everyone wants to watch Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps in action, because the Olympics brings out the best in them.

But the main attraction of the Olympic Games is watching our sports men and women compete on the most competitive stage in the world. It can be a moment of immense pride when a Kiwi athlete steps on to that podium and the anthem is played.

Things are looking good for New Zealand this time, with the acclaimed United States sports magazine Sports Illustrated predicting that we will collect our largest Olympic medal haul. In its pre-Games predictions, the magazine has tipped Kiwi athletes to bring home a record 16 medals, including five golds. This is not the most golds Kiwis have won - that was eight in Los Angeles in 1984.

Shot put star Valerie Adams, BMX rider Sarah Walker and rowing crews Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, Peter Taylor and Storm Uru, and Joseph Sullivan and Nathan Cohen are tipped to win their events.

Let's hope the predictions are correct and that there are also a few surprises as well.

Hawke's Bay is also well represented at the Games, with a number of sports people who either still live here or have some family connection to the Bay. There will be lots of support for rower Emma Twigg, swimmer Daniel Bell, Shea McAleese (hockey), Westley Gough (cycling), Dakota Lucas and Rebecca Rolls (both soccer).

Hopefully someone from this group can surprise the experts and bring home a medal or two.

Here's hoping.