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MY OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
By Ms Maria Silvia PEREIRA MARTINS (BRA)
Taking part in the Olympic Games is every athlete's dream as it was mine.
I was a Springboard Diver for over 16 years and always aspired to represent my
country in the Games. In 1998 this dream came true and I attended the Seoul
Olympics, not as a competitor but as a TV Diving Commentator.
Although this was not exactly how I planned to realise my Olympic Dream the
excitement I felt over those 15 days was unforgettable, from arriving at the airport
and receiving my ID card to the closing ceremony, I was completely mesmerised
by everything.
I saw the Games from a different prospective to that of the athletes and
journalists and also had access to every event in the Games. For a teenager who
was able to move freely around venues and events, this was probably the most
exciting 15 days of my life. Being so close to dedicated athletes, experiencing
their job and frustration as they battled against the best in the world will remain in
my memories forever.
Even though I was not there as an athlete it was natural for me to relate
what I was watching to my personal experience as a diver. I remembered the
practices in very cold weather that I had to go through in order to follow the
International Circuit and I could only picture how hard it would be to prepare
for the Olympics. The sacrifice I made was substantial just at my level; I can
only imagine the level to which these athletes went for their physical and mental
preparation.
I remembered almost crying when the Brazilian anthem was played during the
South American Championship and tried to think about the emotion these
Olympians felt when they heard theirs.
There were many moving moments during the Games for me, but the most
noble were when I watched Ben Johnson and Greg Louganis.
On the day of the 100 metres race I went to the Olympic Stadium very early so
I could get a seat close to the finish line and was extremely excited about
watching the event. Ben Johnson won with class and was cheered to the finish
line. It was very disappointing to find out later on that evening that he had been
disqualified due to the use of forbidden substances.
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