运动员心里与身体同样重要

Through the summer as he prepared for the race that could change his life, Britain's rowing star Alan Campbell played Christmas carols to keep his spirit up.

He did so because they remind him of the training he did last Christmas when what he really wanted to do was to spend time with his parents in Northern Ireland.

Physically he spends 30 minutes flipping six foot tall tractor tires, hours running across giant sand dunes on the beach near his Coleraine home and doing shuttle runs hauling 350 kilogram sandbags.

The training is grueling, but single scullers like Alan also know his psychological strength will make all the difference.

"Of the 2,000 meters that we race, the first 1500 meters is all about training over a four year period. Thirty six thousand kilometers (932 miles) over those four years, 800 hours of weight training and 400 hours of cross training; all that plays a part in the first 1500 meters. The last 500 meters just comes down to soul, who wants it the most, who's sacrificed the most, who's determined the most and, you know, who really, really wants it."

He's been through eleven psychological profiles with experts. They've worked out how he can best motivate himself and how to change the way the coach teaches so he can respond more effectively to training.

The British team has its own psychologist - Chris Shambrook.

"You've got one moment in a four year cycle to deliver at the Olympics. You have to be able to focus only on those things which are most relevant, that are going to help you get the most out of every minute of training that you've put in place. So that quality of focus, knowing that you're focusing on the right thing in the right way and you're able to do that consistently under any form of pressure, you have got to be superb at doing that. "

In a rowing team coordination is essential because everyone has pull together as though they are one, both physically and mentally.

Mental training is also essential for controlling nerves. This can be difficult in the middle of the Olympic village surrounded by swarms of other athletes all in a state of high tension.

For CRI, I'm Laiming.