By Kiwi Olympian Luuka Jones
Sitting down to a tray of McDonalds French fries and a cheeseburger, the fact that my race was over started to become apparent.
It is always the same after a big race; the buzz, the pressure, and the anticipation suddenly vanishes and the event that required so much focus is now just a fact of the past.
As I looked around to the copious amounts of McDonalds, cakes and pizza being consumed, it was obvious that we are part way through the Games and a lot of athletes are in the same position and indulging in the treats and temptations that have been avoided for long periods of time.
It is now an occasion to relax for a bit and enjoy the rest of the Olympics, support the New Zealanders still competing and explore all that London has to offer. I am fortunate to have seen Val win silver in the shotput. I remember in Beijing, watching Val win the gold and the entire stadium standing to the New Zealand national anthem was one of my proudest moments as a Kiwi.
I was cheering again as Val threw to gain a silver medal to add to her impressive accolade of results. The entire stadium was behind her and it was an amazing evening. In the same night, Usain Bolt received his Gold and a number of other athletes in the 400m, hurdles and pole vault also achieved Olympic Champion status. We were warmed by these successes and also by the giant Olympic flame that burned only metres from where we sat.
There are still a lot of events to attend, still some Kiwis to support and still a lot of London left to explore.