Three Dunedin women will get a front-row seat for the Games action when they fill roles with the New Zealand team in London.
Raylene Bates (athletics team leader), Helen Littleworth (physiotherapist) and Yvette Latta (massage therapist) will see how New Zealand competitors respond to the pressure of the ultimate stage.
The Olympics are the culmination of a four-year cycle in the high-performance world and funding is allocated to sports according to the results.
"Media and public expectations create the pressure," athletics team leader Bates said.
" The only thing that matters are placings and medals."
The shot put gold medal by Valerie Adams and the 1500m silver medal by Nick Willis in Beijing have had a positive spin-off for track and field over the last four years.
"It had a huge impact on our high performance programme because we had two medallists," Bates said.
"We now have a high-performance programme for a group of athletes and not just for individuals. It has grown the whole sport because we have big names who are ranked at the top of the world."
Bates has been involved as a coach or team leader at every major international event since the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.
She learned a lot at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
"There is nothing like an Olympic Games," Bates said.
"You can go to a world championships and half of New Zealand wouldn't know it was on. Every 5-year-old knows there is an Olympic Games on.
"It has a totally different atmosphere. Hype and the expectations and pressures on the athletes and coaches is unbelievable.
"It is different from a world championships and can drive some people completely insane.
"Our management team is working day and night for the athletes and coaches to ensure that everything runs smoothly and there are no surprises."
Bates visited London last month when an Olympic dress rehearsal was held.
"It got me very excited," she said. "The public want to be involved; there are lots of volunteers and people are excited about the Olympics being in their city."
Former Black Ferns captain Helen Littleworth will be a physiotherapist at her second Olympic Games.
She was captain of the Black Ferns team that finished runner-up at the World Cup in 1990 and also played hockey for New Zealand from 1986-88.
Littleworth is experienced in the international arena and has been involved with the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and three world athletics championships.
She is part of the medical team at London and will concentrate on athletics.
"I've learned to be very specific with treatment protocols," she said "We are there to support athletes as best we can. It is a very pressurised environment and I love it.
"At this level, the athletes are very specific. They know their bodies. We are there to support the athlete, not only physically but mentally as well."
She works closely with Bates to establish a positive culture and make sure everything is spot on for the athletes.
"When the stress goes on, the athletes know they have people backing them," Littleworth said.
Massage therapist Yvette Latta will be attending her second Olympics and does not expect to get out of the Games Village.
"I will be at the beck and call of athletes 24/7 at the Olympics," she said.
"The athletes want everything to be done the same way at the Olympics as at every other big event. My work provides mental as well as physical benefit for them.
"They will be more stressed than they have ever been and I have to be very aware what their requirements will be at that time."
