My Manifesto: The Incoherent Ramblings of a Madman

Why is it that Australian sportspeople go well in World Championships and yet cannot step up to the challenge in the Olympics? Constantly we have our "World Champions" not living up to pre-olympics game hype. Does the media put to much pressure on them? Are they trained, entirely wrongly, to peak for the world championships but not the "pinnacle" of sporting events the Olympics? You can have all of the World Championships in the world and no one will remember you in ten years time if you don't have an olympic gold medal to back it up.

Ian Thorpe was being lauded as the "greatest Australian swimmer ever" at the beginning of the Olympics this year- he had only won one individual gold medal at that stage. Dawn Fraser on the otherhand has won three individual gold medals spanning 3 olympics games. Cathy Freeman, again, has only won one gold medal, and yet if you talk badly of her career you are labelled as being un-Australian. Why do we cling onto some athletes and miss other athletes who perform well at the Olympics? Credit should be given where credit is due.

I guess, regardless of how our athletes underperform at the olympics, they should still be commended for making it there. I know, from my own personal experiences, that it takes not only mental and physical accomplishment to make an Olympics - but great monetary sacrifice and puting your entire life, and future, on-hold while you try to achieve that glory. I chose a career over the Olympics - I sold my soul.