Competition Anxiety – How Olympic Athletes Deal with Pressure

There's one day to go and then the 2008 Beijing Olympics are officially upon us! All the failed drug tests, niggling injuries and pollution worries will take a back seat as the competition takes centre stage. Different athletes and countries will have varying levels of expectations but for us fans, we can rightly expect weeks of entertainment. As records are broken dreams will be shattered, as medals are won hopes will be lost. I can't wait to bring you all the top daily stories as they unfold.

At this stage it's difficult not to consider the anxieties of the Olympic athletes. No matter what ambition each athlete has, whether it's reaching a final, winning a medal or breaking world records, they will all be feeling the pressure. Competition anxiety is natural and can work for athletes in both positive and negative ways. It all depends on the individual. I remember hearing an urban myth that Michael Johnson's heart rate was the same at the starting blocks as it was while sitting down watching TV. This is pretty hard to believe but clearly there is no smoke without fire, and i can imagine that a champion like Johnson was probably very good at controlling his body and emotions.

There are numerous factors that can affect how athletes deal with competition anxiety. An interesting thought is that home advantage will generally ease anxieties and lead to superior performance. Australia achieved a record haul in Sydney 2000 as did Greece in Athens 20004. The Chinese are therefore well worth watching throughout the games, and could easily top the medal table above the USA team.

Athletes will by now have formulated plans on how they're going to deal with the pressure. But for many there will be no way of knowing how they will react in an Olympic final. Here are five general methods for achieving an optimum mental state:

1. Establish a 'winning feeling' whereby you recall times when you have performed successfully

2. 'Centering' - focus on the centre of your body and perform breathing techniques which help you gather your emotions

3. The five breath technique involves various forms of breathing that allows your body to relax

4. 'Thought-stopping' involves blocking negative thoughts and replacing them with positive thoughts

5. 'Letting go' is when an athlete lies down and achieves a state of tranquility

For more detail about these anxiety-reducing techniques click here

These may all seem obvious but they are difficult techniques to truly master. If an athlete fails to control their emotions at the Olympics, the margin of error is such that a gold medal hope may easily become fourth or fifth place. Preparation is not over when the opening ceremony begins. Preparation is over when the finish line is crossed. Fail to prepare and you're preparing to fail!

Let the Games begin!

To find out more about Sports Psychology - the will to win, click here