There is a huge buzz for the Games that are the pinnacle for the athletes but competing through illness and injury is all part of the test
O
ne of the great joys of being an Olympian is arriving at the athletes’ village and, with it, the shift in your identity from just being a skeleton athlete to being a part of Team GB. There is a real belonging in putting on the T-shirt or jacket with your country’s flag on, and of course with the Olympic rings – a symbol of hope and peace and togetherness.
When I arrived in Sochi, my first Winter Olympics in 2014, I went into my room and I remember collapsing on to the bed with huge pride but also an overwhelming initial feeling of loneliness. I remember being emotional, crying. There was the relief that I had finally made it to the Games, but also a question of “what do I do now?” Fortunately, I didn’t dwell on that for long and dragged myself to the Team GB food hall.
It sounds simple but every day the team designated a base colour for all our clothes – blue T-shirt day, then red and white – and in the communal areas of the athletes’ village, that made everyone from Team GB feel more connected. That helped me shift from feeling overwhelmed into focus and a mindset of: “This is the Olympics and I’m here to do my job and win.”
