POWERHOUSE

Every sportsperson dreams of winning the coveted gold. After all, it's the very reason why they push themselves training so hard for.

You never ever forget the first gold that you win, who were the pacers, the drummer and the coxswain. Who was sitting in front, beside and behind you. How you felt as you lined up at the start, when you crossed the finish line first. What it was like walking back up to a crowd anxiously awaiting your return. The hugs, the well wishes, the cheers and the tears. The moment you walked up to recieve that precious golden cookie. For that one moment in time, you know that your sacrifices, time and effort have not all gone to waste.

The first gold medal i could call my very own was given to me in December 2002. I was the 4th left pair. I still remember who was sitting where, us waiting at the start line real long, the right pacer getting up after to hit the drum real hard in celebration of the win and the tear shed by Zen. Incidentally, that was one of the very last golds won by the women's team.

This day was 4 years in the making. But it was well worth the wait for it will go down in history as one of the largest and most impressive medal hauls in recent years.

Every sportperson trains to compete. To compete and win, that's a bonus. To compete, make a come back and win after having been down and out. That's a double bonus that makes victory all the more so much sweeter.

You have made me so proud.