Olympic Fever - Dealing with Disappointment

Excitement is building at Camp Bodyventures. Excitement tinged with - I’m not ashamed to admit - a little bit of envy. Up until my back injury I had the summer of 2008 imprinted in my mind. Beijing was the goal, and every time I was knocked down by a bad result I picked myself back up again and told myself "What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger". The final knock came with injury and the realisation that I was unlikely to have enough time to make it back into the team, let alone be knocking on the door of the two places for lightweight women at the Olympic Games. Even had I made it in, there are several of us who will ultimately be the bridesmaids but never the brides for the lightweight double scull, the only boat for our weight category.

At 5′ 6" and a little over 9 stone in the winter (8st 13lb or less at summer race weight), the chances of making it as an openweight are virtually nil. With much shorter limbs and less leverage, it is impossible to generate the same power as the top heavyweight girls. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken my share of heavyweight scalps and intend to take many more, but when it comes to internationals, a lightweight will always have his or her work cut out.

So here I am, watching the final preparations intensely, willing my former teammates to find those pots of gold medals at the end of the Olympic rainbow. They must be going through so many conflicting emotions right now. Anticipation and excitement of racing. Pride at representing your country at the biggest sporting show on earth. Fear of injury, mistakes. Moments of calm, knowing that they have put in the work and the training to reach this, the ultimate goal which makes all those cold, icy early mornings and long sweaty ergos worth it. Moments of sheer terror! It must be amazing.

I hope for and wish them all the success they could possibly want - the disappointment at knowing what could have been will undoubtedly be what they take away from the Games if things don’t go to plan. It will be of little consolation to know that in merely wearing the GB vest they have achieved so much more than the vast majority of this world could ever hope to do. I for one will be screaming their names at the telly when they line up on the start this weekend.

Good luck guys, you deserve it.

GO TEAM GB!