My Olympic Experience

The 2012 Olympics were the first time I was directly involved with the Games. I had hoped to compete at the 2000 Games in Sydney and again at the 2004 Games in Athens, but both times I did not make the qualifying standard for my event, the triple jump. As taking part in the Olympics is the be-all and end-all for an athlete, it was really heart breaking to have to watch those on Games on TV.

This year I got my chance to go to London and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. I went, not as an athlete, but as a proud commentator for the Turkish national television network TRT.

Going to the Olympic Park for the first time there were so many people all around that I felt a sense of admiration for the organisers who had designed and built such a wonderful place for people to meet in the name of sport.

But this emotion turned to amazement when I moved to the first day’s morning session of athletics in the Olympic stadium. The 80,000 seats were almost full with the audience and all the competitors were being supported with heart and soul. I marvelled at so much rejoicing in the name of athletics and I felt so proud of my sport.

Watching all the competitions live, I was able to witness both the rivalries between the athletes and the fair play. I saw them living the joy or sadness of each instant and sharing their emotions with everybody. I’m so happy to have experienced this.

In my work as a commentator, I tried to draw on all my life experience - I competed in athletics for 20 years and studied physical education and sports at university before taking up a management career in sport – to give the Turkish viewers an impression about the competition in the stadium and the audience there. In my opinion, the athletics events are like an Ocean and at this moment I see myself as a bridge to help others understand my sport.

There were positive comments about me and my work made on Facebook and Twitter and these made me happy too.

I have been working to equip myself more and more for this kind of work in the coming years and the 2012 Olympic Games have been an important milestone in my life.

I hope everybody can be as lucky as I was to get this opportunity.