Words:

Dream, Reality, Determination, Pride, Ecstatic, Nervous, Devastation, Humbled, Proud….2012 London Olympic Games was a whirlwind week of mixed emotions!

In the lead up to the games the Australian Team spent the week preparing in a peaceful remote area of France out of the hype. I came into this Olympics Games 100% ready to go with no stone unturned and doing every little 1% thing, I was ready. Entering the village was a surreal realisation of living out a little girl dream that was reality. Competing towards the end of the Olympics Games meant that we arrived into the village late, the first few days where hectic and my heart rate was for sure at a constant high. Loaded up with all of our Olympic team uniform and getting our bearings in the village which was a small city took a few days.

My game plan was to go and see one event prior to competition. The whole Australian BMX team got tickets to go see the Velodrome Track Cycling and had a taste of what was to come. The roar of the Great Britain crowd when GB was on course sent chills over my entire body and made the hair on the back of my next stand up. I decided then that any time throughout racing when I heard that crowd cheering for local GB girl Shenaze Reade to smile and image those where Aussie cheers. This definitely worked and I was enjoying every moment!

This year I have been very consistent having my eye on the prize and settling for nothing less than my best and my true potential. Coming into my first Olympics games being the Time Trial World Champion, leading the World Cup season and feeling on point I knew and the world knew that I was a true medal contender. Some may call this pressure and as the saying goes "diamonds are formed under pressure". I had risen to a new level this year with a lot of internal motivation to achieve my dream of winning GOLD.I had the track dialed and I won the time trial qualification lap by 0.2 seeding me the fastest into fridays racing.

Throughout racing it was just like any other race going through the process to achieve the outcome and continuing my race routine. There was definitely a different vibe out on the track everyone was performing on a new level and riding on the edge. If BMX had personal bests (PB's) today was a PB effort. I drew the harder of the two semi finals with Shenaze (GB), Alise Post (USA) and Beijing Medalist Letitia (FRA). Winning two out of the three semi final laps seeded me the fastest girl coming into the final. With first lane selection and everything going to plan admittedly I made a bad gate selection choosing lane three over lane one and then had my worst start of the day getting shut down. I was never going to give up and fought from 7th position back to 5th.

One chance, eight riders, 38 seconds and the world watching…I had blown my opportunity. Crossing the line and seeing my dream of winning a gold medal disappear was devastating and I could not hold back the emotion.

"I truly believe that it's all of the hard times that make you step up to the next level and that's what makes you a champion!"

"Thats just BMX"…If I wanted a sport with less variables I would be between a lane rope staring at a black line and that's why I LOVE BMX!

Hundreds of emails, social media, primary school kids letters, flowers, chocolates, people on the street..I have had overwhelming amounts of support. I came home feeling very defeated and down and everyone's support has been so positive and uplifting. Huge thank you to my support crew in the crowd Mum, Dad, Nannie, Tim Chadd, Barry Nobles and family friends. My sponsors, coaches, trainers, my friends and absolutely everyone because you have all been a part of the journey!

Bring on Rio 2016 Olympics Games…A new chapter begins!