KEY POINTS:
Watching the Beijing Olympics from the other side of the fence, I was blown away by what the Olympics means to New Zealand and New Zealanders. It is an event where our nation comes together once every four years to watch, laugh and cry with our athletes as they compete on the world stage.
From inside the Olympic bubble, as an athlete, the Olympics is a sporting event. It is purely and simply that but it is also terrifying. It might seem crazy but many athletes who chase an Olympic dream sometimes wish the whole was thing over before it's even begun as the pressure of the Olympics can crush an athlete to a pulp.
How often do you hear athletes say they are relieved it's over? This is what they have to face on top of beating the best in the world in their event.
I get the impression that for Kiwis watching the Olympics at home it is the ultimate reality TV show. But for the athletes, this is their life - there is no acting, no scripts, no chance to do another take if it turns to the proverbial.
The Olympic Games puts pressure on people who, aside from their excellence in their chosen sport, are normal people, with the ability or inability to cope just like anyone else. It's a recipe for absolute highs and absolute lows.
I guess it is that human drama that makes it compelling viewing. There is a fascination with winning medals. But what about the consequences when medals are lost?
For the athletes it is the culmination of a life's work aimed at claiming the ultimate prize. Few are fortunate enough to do so. Most pay a massive price.
Viewers can change channels but the athletes live with what happens for the rest of their lives. I heard a reporter talking about United States swimmer Michael Phelps after he had claimed his eighth gold medal. The discussion was around how Phelps had not missed a training session in four years, about how he trains 30-40 hours a week and is totally committed to the task at hand.
However, he is no different to most of the athletes in the village. They train just as hard, are just as committed and deserve just as much. The only difference is the results which have made Phelps a multimillionaire and a superstar on a global scale. For all the athletes who fall outside the gold, silver and bronze there is ... nothing.
This is the reality of the Olympics and perhaps why it is such a remarkable event. Most of the athletes who commit their life to attaining this level of perfection walk away with zip. No medals, recognition, or money.
For some, the legacy of all their work is a shattered dream, a sour taste in their mouth and no idea how they will cope back home.
And yet, they worked hard enough and were good enough to be selected to compete at an Olympics. What's more, many come back for more.
This is the stuff of courage, persistence and a fascinating determination. If you have ever celebrated an Olympic medallist, I urge you to take the time to consider the athletes who didn't win a medal despite putting everything into chasing their dream.
These are truly awesome individuals who can teach us so much about greatness.
* Hamish Carter won the gold medal in the triathlon at the Athens Olympics. He attended the games in Beijing as an ambassador to the New Zealand team.
