What is it like to be an Olympic athlete after win

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I competed in rowing as the coxswain of the USA men's eight-oared crew in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004). Because rowing is held during the first week of the Games, rowers have the entire second week to experience the fun part of the Olympics. Having a medal, or not, makes a big difference in how that goes.In 2000, we were heavily favored to win. We imploded and finished 5th. That second week was very difficult. We were like ghosts haunting the greatest celebration of amateur sport on earth. We would go to parties--at least the ones where we could get in--and watch what seemed like absolutely everyone else having the time of their lives. We quietly wondered what might have been. We slept a lot and scrapped for tickets to other events. Grown men cried.That was the worst moment of my sports career. For years afterward, our meltdown in Sydney was the the last thing I thought about before I fell asleep and the first thing on my mind when I got up. Thinking about it now still stings. My teammates are also my closest friends. For some, that was their last chance. We will never get that back and we all live with it every day.In 2004, we were a dark horse, but by then my mindset on racing had changed quite a bit. I wanted to finish my career with a personal best performance. If I could do that, the medal would take care of itself. In our medal race, we absolutely nailed it and won the gold.From the moment we crossed the finish line, the difference between Athens and Sydney could not have been more stark. We had just achieved the dream of our youth, accompanied by all the expected things: going to the medal stand, seeing our flag go up, singing our national anthem, fighting back a tear or two, celebrating with our families and friends, getting back to our house and finding 200 emails waiting with subjects like "CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!" and "OMG" even though it was not yet 6am back home.And then the second week began. NBC called. They wanted us on the Today Show. They liked us and invited us back later in the week. The Wall Street Journal asked if I would write an article about the experience. We did a top-ten list for Letterman. While we were waiting for the cameramen, wrestler Rulon Gardner picked me up with one hand.We did not even need to be on the lists for parties. We skipped the line and flashed our medals at the door. Huge entourage wants to come in, too? No problem. Feel like jumping up on the stage with the band? Do it! Stage dive the crowd? That's cool, too. Global sponsors called to ask if we might attend a breakfast and answer a few questions for a fat honorarium. With pleasure. We were just getting back from a party somewhere and breakfast with people genuinely excited about the Olympics sounded fun.Everywhere we went, it was a celebration. An official who looked quite like me introduced himself with stories of how random people were congratulating him and asking for his autograph. We got a picture together with him wearing the medal. People on the street would stop us and ask if their children could see the medal. That was the best.With two days to go, I stopped sleeping. I had total fear of missing out. I visited with my friends from other countries. Who knew if we would ever see one another again? We just tried to experience as much of it as possible. We were not ghosts anymore.
In the years since Athens, that medal has changed my life in ways too numerous to count. And they are all good.Via Nick White.Via Nick White.13+ Comments • Post (15) • Thank • 1:11pm on MondayGlenn G. MillarGlenn G. Millar18 votes by Sean Palmer, Eugene Lazutkin, Jonathan Lyons, (more)I did alot of work with the San Francisco Olympic Bid Committee including with Anne Cribbs, the Chairperson. I know many medal winners and many non-medal winners. Anne won a Gold Medal in 1960 Rome in Swimming at the age of 15. I always loved Anne's philosophy which was she never told people she was a medal winner. Why? Because in her mind a Olympian is an Olympian. Period. Suppose you went to the Olympics and came in 4th. You are the 4th best in the world! Did you really lose at the Olympics? Of course not. Instead, you achieved something that few ever do and should be extremely proud.Comment • Post • Thank • 4:38amTrevor MorriceTrevor Morrice12 votes by M. Jackson Wilkinson, Adam Schatz, Liam Kaufman, (more)I competed in Vancouver for Canada in Ski Jumping, I came 56th and it was a lot of fun. After the games I have gone back to being a normal person, some of my teammates are motivational speakers and some still jump. I was recognized on the street once, haha. Besides that I'm just a Joe schmo.It also looks pretty nice on a resume!Comment • Post • Thank • 5:01amGreg Edwards, Software Designer, BioInformatician3 votes by Jack Barker, Scott Bennett-McLeish, and Norberto MeijomeI have no Olympic experience (actually, not true ! I was an Opening/Closing Ceremonies props vollie at Sydney, dealing with the performer's equipment as they entered &left the arena. But not relevant here.) I just wanted to underline the last persons remark that 4th at the Olympics is a fantastic achievement.Here in Aus we have a horrible focus on medals and even just gold. I haev actually seen headlines like "Disaster, Joe Blow fails, misses gold" when he got silver or bronze. But he/she is the 2nd/3rd best athlete in the Universe in that discipline ! Astonishing.It's across the board I guess to some extent. The world media usually report just gold medals. If a country has no gold but dozens of silver &bronze, nothing much is reported. I find it quite distressing.
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