Who'd be an Olympian?

Who the hell would be an Olympian?
The endless training, the life sacrifices, the criticism.
Nope bugger that, I'd rather sit on my fat arse and watch them achieve something I never ever could and berate them when they don't win.

Doesn't make much sense does it?
But it's that fucked up mentality that's plaguing our elite sports people who are representing our country.
This time around we've seen and heard it all and we're only a few days into competition. 'Not good enough' 'hopes lost' 'disappointing'.

Is that really the attitude we should be embracing?

There is no harsher critique than the athlete themselves. They don't go to the Olympics to lose, they go to win, that desire burns deep within them or else they simply wouldn't compete.

Yes there are some sports that Australia excels in, like swimming, but lets face it, you can't be the best at something forever, and to expect that is unfair.

I don't have to point out the unbelievably harsh social commentary about Leisel Jones being 'unfit'. 5th fastest in the world in her event is hardly unfit. Let me repeat that 5TH FASTEST IN THE WORLD.

Last time I checked, I wasn't 5th best in the world in anything, what about you?

I watch the Olympics each day, and I get more of a buzz watching the womens weightlifting and seeing someone not even win a medal but achieve a PB. The look on their face when they smash their personal best is fantastic, their coaches go bananas, they love it, because on the world stage they have done their very best and they're happy, so why aren't we?

I feel sad, not sorry, for our Olympians who don't win, because they've given everything to their sport, and yet it's never seemingly good enough.

I'm pretty damn proud of anyone who represents Australia (unless they're a fuckwit).

Lets celebrate the achievement of that, rather than kicking them when they're down.