Olympics: Life as a competitor

Thai Olympic athlete Tanya (age 22) shares the little secrets of life in the Olympics village as an athlete competing in the games.

Photo above of Tanya having some fun in the park in the Olympics village where Olympic competitors live.

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PROFILE

In the shoes of an Olympian

The youngest member of Thailand's shooting squad says her second time competing in the world's most prestigious sporting event was really no big deal
23/08/2012
Parisa Pichitmarn

...Tanyaporn "Tanya" Prucksakorn, 22, was the youngest athlete on Thailand's four-member shooting team. It was her second Olympics and even though our shooting squad didn't receive the garlands (or the media attention) that other medal-winning sports did, Tanyaporn came home with some off-the-shooting-range experiences that sound enjoyable, exciting and memorable. For her, life during the Olympics wasn't as frenzied as we might have assumed.

We watched the dazzling opening ceremony on TV. What did it feel like walking into the stadium?

It was pretty cool because I got to stand near the front, so I was in a good spot for taking photos. It's a good thing Thailand had at least a dozen [participants]. I felt really sorry for small island nations that had only two representatives - it must have been pretty lonely. On the downside, I didn't get to see all the fun stuff like when Mr Bean appeared. We had to stand in line waiting for our turn to walk out. Maybe I'm not super-excited because I've been through this before.

What was it like living in the Olympic village?

It's basically row after row of apartment buildings. Some countries travelling with big numbers get a whole building to themselves, but we Thais only filled two floors. We shared the building with the Indonesians and the Australians.

When I wasn't practising, I was usually at the recreational centre. There were pool tables, a Wii, an Xbox, a Beats lab and a non-alcoholic bar. I actually learned how to play pool while I was there - my roommate taught me.

What were the other people like?

It really depends on how outgoing you are, but most people usually keep to themselves. They come with their teams, they stay with their teams and they leave as a team. Not much mingling happens between athletes [of different countries]. The village is quiet during the day because everyone is out doing their own practice. I'm glad that I got a chance to share a room with five other athletes. I've made new friends that I still keep in touch with. In Beijing [2008 Games] I didn't get to room with anyone else...

What were you most impressed by?

The grass in the park in the athletes' village looked really green and fluffy - I wanted to go and roll around in it. It was an extremely beautiful and tranquil sight. There were also volunteers in the village who were giving out freebies - usually of some famous and delicious local snack. I got to sample some cheese and some ice-cream. There was also a certain pink cake with coconut shavings on top and for some weird reason it tasted just like a khanom [sweetmeat] from back home...

...

Hottest athletes?

The guys from New Zealand and the ladies from Turkey and Russia.

Most common outfit/fashion item? 

Tracksuits everywhere, even when visiting [London's] Chinatown late at night.

Free time? 

Trying to spot celebrity athletes like Phelps, Nadal and Federer.

(Source: Bangkok Post, PROFILE, In the shoes of an Olympian, The youngest member of Thailand's shooting squad says her second time competing in the world's most prestigious sporting event was really no big deal, 23/08/2012, Parisa Pichitmarn, link) 


Olympics and Athlete Vocabulary

athlete - a sportsperson: "a person trained to compete in a sport involving physical strength, speed or endurance. Sportspeople may be professional or amateur" (See Wikipedia)

Olympic athlete
Thai Olympic athlete

athletics - sports (See Wikipedia)

compete (verb) - when two or more people engage in some sport or contest or business and there with only one winner แข่งขัน
competitor (noun) - a person or business competing  ผู้แข่งขัน, คู่แข่ง
competition (noun) - an event with people competing for something การแข่งขัน

Olympic Games - a major international sporting event "featuring summer and winter sports in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions," with more than 200 nations participating, held every four years (See Wikipedia)

Olympic village - the buildings and place where the athletes (sports people, competitors) stay during the Olympic Games (See Wikipedia)
the athletes’ village

What was it like living in the Olympic village?

ceremony - a formal public event งานพิธี
opening ceremony - the ceremony that begins some long event

dazzling - very impressive and exciting to see and watch (example: a dazzxling beautiful girl)
dazzling opening ceremony

Olympics Games ceremony - (See Wikipedia)
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony - (See Wikipedia)

We watched the dazzling opening ceremony on TV. What did it feel like walking into the stadium?

in the shoes of ... - being a ... , in the role of ... 
in the shoes of an Olympian - being a person competing in the Olympics

squad - a team; a team in sports from which the players for a match are chosen ทีม a small group of soldiers who do a particular job หน่วยทหารพิเศษ
shooting squad - a group of people competing as a team with guns in shooting sports

shooting sport - "a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency (accuracy and speed) using various types of guns" (See Wikipedia)

prestigious - admired and respected by people ที่มีชื่อเสียง ที่ได้รับความนับถือ
prestigious sporting event

no big deal - not important

The youngest member of Thailand's shooting squad says her second time competing in the world's most prestigious sporting event was really no big deal

garland - a ring of flowers that you wear around your head or neck
receive the garlands - receive a prize of flowers around the neck (after winning a competition)

media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
media attention - when a story is covered in newspapers or on TV (and many people see it)

off the .... experiences - the things that you outside of normal activities (like work, school, or sports if you are a sportsperson)
off-the-shooting-range experiences

having some fun

enjoyable - something that is fun, that you like to do (that gives you pleasure)
sounds enjoyable - seems to me to be enjoyable (when I hear about it)

exciting - arousing, stimulating, stirring ที่น่าตื่นเต้น, ที่เป็นสาเหตุให้ตื่นเต้น, ที่ทำให้ตื่นเต้น

memorable - likely to be remembered or worth remembering ซึ่งมีค่าน่าจดจำ, โดดเด่น
frenzied - 1. having too many things to, that you can barely deal with and control; 2. with wild excitement

life wasn't as frenzied as we might have assumed.

...Tanyaporn "Tanya" Prucksakorn, 22, was the youngest athlete on Thailand's four-member shooting team. It was her second Olympics and even though our shooting squad didn't receive the garlands (or the media attention) that other medal-winning sports did, Tanyaporn came home with some off-the-shooting-range experiences that sound enjoyable, exciting and memorable. For her, life during the Olympics wasn't as frenzied as we might have assumed.

cool - clever; impressive ดีเลิศ (คำสแลง)
pretty - fairly, between "very" and "a little" (examples: he looks pretty tired, she is pretty good looking)
pretty cool

It was pretty cool because I got to stand near the front, so I was in a good spot for taking photos. It's a good thing Thailand had at least a dozen [participants]. I felt really sorry for small island nations that had only two representatives - it must have been pretty lonely. On the downside, I didn't get to see all the fun stuff like when Mr Bean appeared. We had to stand in line waiting for our turn to walk out. Maybe I'm not super-excited because I've been through this before.

It's basically ... - meaning: to explain  simply, it is ....

It's basically row after row of apartment buildings. Some countries travelling with big numbers get a whole building to themselves, but we Thais only filled two floors. We shared the building with the Indonesians and the Australians.

practice - sports practice; doing your sport or other activities and exercises to get better and win in your sport (See Wikipedia)
practicising

recreation (noun) - activities that people do to relax in their free time (See Wikipedia)
recreational (adjective)

recreational center - a place where people go in their free time to relax, chat and socialize, play games, etc (See Wikipedia)
pool tables - tables for playing pool (See Wikipedia)

bar - a place where people go to relax, chat, socialize and usually drink alcohol: beer, whiskey, etc (See Wikipedia)
non-alcoholic bar - a bar that serves no alcohol (only soft drinks and fruit juice, for example)

roommate - a person who you live with in the same room (share a room together) 

When I wasn't practising, I was usually at the recreational centre. There were pool tables, a Wii, an Xbox, a Beats lab and a non-alcoholic bar. I actually learned how to play pool while I was there - my roommate taught me.

outgoing - when a person has many friends, not shy, likes to meet new people all the time and make new friends
keep to themselves - a person who likes to be by themselves (not always with other people)

mingling - when people mixing together, talk and socialize ผสม
share - to have or use something at the same time as someone else ใช้ร่วมกัน

chance - opportunity
got a chance to - had an opportunity to
got a chance to share a room with five other athletes

keep in touch with - talk to or send messages to friends and people you know regularly (to maintain friendship)
I still keep in touch with them

room with - stay in a room with another person (example: the person i roomed with in university became my best friend later in life)
 
What were the other people like? It really depends on how outgoing you are, but most people usually keep to themselves. They come with their teams, they stay with their teams and they leave as a team. Not much mingling happens between athletes [of different countries]. The village is quiet during the day because everyone is out doing their own practice. I'm glad that I got a chance to share a room with five other athletes. I've made new friends that I still keep in touch with. In Beijing [2008 Games] I didn't get to room with anyone else...

impressed - admiring someone or something very much because of an unusually good quality or achievement ประทับใจ

fluffy - soft; covered with soft hair or feathers

roll - move forward while turning over and over กลิ้ง
roll around - to roll around an area (not just straight in one direction)
roll around in the green grass - to lay in the grass and move your body around in it (feels good)

tranquil - calm, still and quiet; relaxing
sight - something you see
a tranquil sight - something that you see that makes you relax; comforting 

volunteers - people working without (for a good cause, helping people) อาสาสมัคร

freebies - free things (example: the company handed out freebies on the street corner to introduce people to their new product)

local - in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about ท้องถิ่น
local snack - some special little food that people eat at a local village or town
famous and delicious local snack

sample - try some new food (eat a little to see how it tastes)
I got to sample some cheese and some ice-cream

shavings - thin pieces cut from surface of something (examples: wood shavings, cheese shavings)
coconut shavings

pink cake with coconut shavings on top

weird - very strange แปลกประหลาด
reason - an explanation of an event, why an event happened เหตุ ; เหตุผล ; สาเหตุ
for some weird reason - meaning: I don't know why ...

for some weird reason it tasted just like a khanom from back home...

What were you most impressed by? The grass in the park in the athletes' village looked really green and fluffy - I wanted to go and roll around in it. It was an extremely beautiful and tranquil sight. There were also volunteers in the village who were giving out freebies - usually of some famous and delicious local snack. I got to sample some cheese and some ice-cream. There was also a certain pink cake with coconut shavings on top and for some weird reason it tasted just like a khanom [sweetmeat] from back home...

hot - a good looking man or woman (handsome, pretty, beautiful...)
the hottest athletes

Hottest athletes? The guys from New Zealand and the ladies from Turkey and Russia.

common - seen or happening often
most common - the thing that is seen most often

outfit - a set of clothes that are worn together เครื่องแต่งกาย
outfit - clothes เสื้อผ้าทั้งชุด

fashion (noun) - some nice looking, good looking clothing แฟชั่น
fashionable (adjective)
fashion item - some piece of clothing that is "fashionable" and looks good

tracksuits - the suits that athletes and sports people wear, to keep them warm before and after they compete (See Wikipedia)

Chinatown - most big cities in the US, Europe, Australia, Philippines, etc have a part of town where Chinese people traditionally lived (See Wikipedia)
late at night
 
Most common outfit/fashion item?  Tracksuits everywhere, even when visiting [London's] Chinatown late at night.

free time - time when you are not working (or taking care of other responsibilities such as family)

spot - see
spot celebrity athletes

Phelps - swimmer who won 22 Olympic gold medals, the most anyone has ever won (See Wikipedia)
Nadala - (See Wikipedia)
Federer - (See Wikipedia)

Free time?  Trying to spot celebrity athletes like Phelps, Nadal and Federer.