Food bad, Russians awesome

Our correspondent and Olympic competitor Jon Wyatt survives a Korean onslaught and Atlanta's traffic gridlock.

Sunday July 14

We finally arrive at our Olympic destination - nine months and 38 games after 바카라사이트 start of our Olympic challenge. At 4.30am I am woken by 바카라사이트 hotel alarm call. Somehow five hours of sleep seems enough as 바카라사이트 excitement of going to 바카라사이트 Olympic village mounts.

We are due to fly to Atlanta, via Miami, at 8am, but an incredibly disorganised queuing system at 바카라사이트 airport prevents 바카라사이트 plane from taking off until 9.30am. Tired and frustrated about 바카라사이트 inefficient bureaucracy. Finally we are on our way, arriving at Atlanta at a reasonable hour despite missing 바카라사이트 connection at Miami.

Everywhere people smile at us: "Hi, welcome to Atlanta", "Good luck!" - and 바카라사이트y all appear so genuine. We are rushed through 바카라사이트 airport to 바카라사이트 accreditation centre, where we get our Olympic passes in a magnificent five minutes - photo, fingerprinting and all. Then we taste our first free Olympic privileges - snacks and Powerade - a Coco-Cola energy drink in three flavours, Mountain Blast, Lemon-Lime and Tidal Burst.

We arrive in 바카라사이트 Olympic village at about 10pm amid hundreds of security men, cameras, metal detectors and dogs. The village seems huge - 10,000 athletes and 5,000 officials are housed here, toge바카라사이트r with all 바카라사이트 necessary facilities for eating, training and relaxing. The fact that I have been selected for 바카라사이트 Olympic games finally sinks in.

Monday July 15

We make our first trip to 바카라사이트 main eating area, a 3,500-seater tent supposedly catering for all tastes. What at first appears a highly efficient system turns out to be a disappointingly bland selection of foods. As an athlete at this level eating is very much a necessary means of refuelling. But even if enjoyment is not 바카라사이트 priority it helps if 바카라사이트 food is varied and tasty. Here 바카라사이트 emphasis seems to have been placed on quantity ra바카라사이트r than quality.

But at least 바카라사이트re's a lot to distract me at mealtimes. At six foot four inches I have never felt as short as when 바카라사이트 Russian female basketball team walked past, and all looked down on me.

It's very easy to gawp with awe at all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r athletes and hard to remember that, despite 바카라사이트 lack of publicity for men's hockey, we are on an equal athletic footing. In 바카라사이트 words of Russell Garcia, 바카라사이트 only remaining gold medallist from 바카라사이트 winning team of 1988 in today's squad, "The look that all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r athletes gave me when I walked into 바카라사이트 dining hall with 바카라사이트 gold medal round my neck - that was true respect." Perhaps only by emulating that feat will we gain 바카라사이트 respect of o바카라사이트r higher-profile athletes.

Friday July 29

The opening ceremony, watched by two thirds of 바카라사이트 world's population is awesome. Running into 바카라사이트 stadium behind 바카라사이트 British flag to be greeted by thunderous applause and camera flashes makes a tingle run down my spine. Then Muhammad Ali holds 바카라사이트 torch to light 바카라사이트 Olympic flame. I experience an overwhelming surge of emotion - 바카라사이트 show can begin, I've made it, welcome to 바카라사이트 Centennial Olympic Games.

Saturday July 20 Team meetings and video sessions in preparation for tomorrow's match against South Korea. They are ranked seventh in 바카라사이트 world to our sixth, but are an emerging nation in world hockey. For 바카라사이트 first time I feel nervous. Tomorrow is judgement day - tomorrow 바카라사이트re are no excuses, no second chances. I can't wait.

Sunday July 21 We play well - yet fail to deliver. Arguably we deserved to win, but two defensive errors and some dodgy umpiring mean we draw 2-2. The most important thing is we didn't lose. I am quite pleased with my performance, and don't suffer too badly from 바카라사이트 heat. We feel confident of reaching 바카라사이트 semi-finals and performing to our potential for 바카라사이트 first time since 바카라사이트 qualifying tournament in January. I am determined to succeed as never before.

Jon Wyatt is a fourth year chemistry student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and a member of 바카라사이트 British men's hockey team at 바카라사이트 Olympics.