GREAT EXPECTATIONS.... OR NOT

BEIJING, CHINA: Most experienced Team Managers and Coaches are reluctant to make medal predictions for their athletes before the Games. This is generally good practice as it helps to reduce the pressure they are feeling on the world's biggest sporting stage. Some however have no such reservations about spruiking their targets, while others are talking down their chances. PAUL LEE REPORTS....

Ethiopia is a world power in distance running and the Chef de Mission of the team showed no hesitation in declaring is hand. "We have thirty world class athletes here this time, twenty nine runners and one boxer. All of them are Gold Medallists. We don't expect much of the boxer" he said. At least the boxer is off the hook!

Unlike the Cuban boxers whose team coach has stated, "Our ten boxers are going to win gold, silver, bronze, it doesn't matter. They will win." I'm sensing some communist conspiracy here, perhaps he knows something I don't. Or perhaps there is simply no other choice for his boxers? Time will tell.

Marta is a typically talented female Brazilian footballer and is often compared to her male compatriot Ronaldinho. Like many of her team-mates she already goes by the single name and is a superstar of women's football wining the Golden Shoe (most goals) and Golden Ball (best player) at last years FIFA Women's World Cup. In trying to be humble on arrival in Beijing Marta said, "I'm not a star. We have 18 stars on our team. We're all stars." So, I guess she actually is a star, I think.

Others have tended to take the opposite view of their chances.

The coach of the Croatian Men's Basketball team likes to keep it simple. "Don't be last", was his comment on his goals for the tournament. I think that's the "glass half empty" approach.

When asked about his coach dreaming of a medal, Turkish sailor, Ates Cinar, responded, "I'll give his dream a 1% chance of success". Now there's a guy with some confidence... not!

And here's a guy with his priorities in place. Canadian Zac Plavsic - "I love sailing but playing guitar is much more important to me". .... What the...!!

And Finally someone with some perspective, made all the more poignant by the fact that he is from Georgia. "Not everyone will win at the Olympics. Those who lose will go home with a smile of the Chinese people" - Levan Zhorzholiani.