OPINION: Waiting for the Olympics to start is like lying awake with anticipation on Christmas Eve.
Positive emotions are overflowing, we are optimistic about what we're going to get, and we are yet to have our hopes dashed.
The Football Ferns kicked things off before the Olympic Games opening ceremony, which must be akin to opening gifts a couple of days before the festivities really begin.
There is also an element of chaos associated with both Christmas and the Olympics, and the London Olympics are no exception.
Traffic jams, security problems, terrorist concerns, and poor weather predictions have cast a huge cloud over proceedings in London. Some would suggest it reflects the stereotypical perception of Britain as gloomy and bogged in bureaucracy.
As if to counter this doom and gloom, the New Zealand Olympic team is being optimistic about our chances in the medal haul. As a nation stereotypically referred to as chokers under pressure and, like the kumara, a place that very rarely speaks of its own sweetness, it is rare to hear so much positivity surrounding our Olympic team.
Sports Illustrated has tipped New Zealand to bring home 16 medals including five golds.
Slightly less glowing, but still more than our largest medal haul of 13 at Seoul in 1988, the Associated Press suggests we'll win 14 (four gold).
Closer to home, High Performance Sport New Zealand chief executive Alex Baumann estimates we'll win 10 medals (three gold).
Although Canadian, Alex might belong to the "under-promise and over-achieve" school of thought so familiar to many New Zealanders.
We really don't like blowing our own trumpet, and we perform better when we think we're the underdog.
No-one thought that a New Zealand netball franchise, for instance, would come away with the ANZ transtasman trophy, but the Waikato-based franchise team performed its own bit of magic and did just that.
We are applying the same philosophy (and possibly magic) to the Olympics. If we allow our athletes to fly under the radar, they may just rise to the occasion without the added pressure of expectation.
Another positive associated with the Olympics has to be the increased media attention directed toward female athletes and sports teams. It is one of the rare moments where quantity of sports media attention almost reaches equitable levels.
The jury is still out on whether the "quality" of media coverage changes, however.
Headlines on Juliette Haigh's attempts to win a medal in the rowing pairs with rowing partner Rebecca Scown are overshadowed by references to lust and her other relationship with rower Mahe Drysdale. It's as if her athletic endeavours on their own are not enough to capture the attention of sport/news consumersAre we really that shallow?
All women should have some sympathy for Australian female swimmer Leisel Jones who has been accused of treating her third Olympic games as a holiday because her "form" (polite speak for her appearance) doesn't seem to be athletic enough for a critical sportsmedia audience.
The same accusations are not directed at Michael Phelps, who has also mentioned his motivation for swimming is waning and that these games will be his swimming swan song.
A recent article on stuff.co.nz by Georgina Robinson also highlights how tough elite sport can be for women, especially women who don't fit the social expectations of what is considered a sexually attractive appearance.
With the rise and rise of social media sites, many feel it is their right to anonymously criticise female athletes who don't fit the mould of being hetero-sexy, commercially appealing, or "easy on the eye".
It isn't enough that these girls and women have committed a large part of their lives to training and sport. I can't imagine New Zealanders being brave enough to make comments of a similar nature against any of our golden girls.
Maybe it is because we are a small nation, and medals and moments to celebrate in sport are few and far between, but we are more embracing of our female athletes and teams especially in global events like the Olympics. Momentarily, national pride overrides sexism in sports media, and the New Zealand media turns its focus on our past and present Olympic "golden girls" - a focus that genuinely is on their athletic endeavours and achievements rather than tongue-in-cheek wordplay, comments on their appearance, or sideline stories about their love lives.
Like a young child filled with wonder at the magic of Christmas morning, let us celebrate this momentary spotlight on our female athletes. We all know that it won't last, but it sure is great while it does.
