You may have seen a bit about it here and there – local interest stories such as Caitlin McClatchey mainly – but for such a massive spectacle the coverage has been thin on the ground.

There are various reasons for this such as the start of the domestic football season and the fortunes of the England cricket team, but even so, you would have thought that the Olympic Games would warrant a far larger profile.

It goes without saying that if the Great Britain team start winning medals then the media spotlight will inevitably follow.

Every four years various estimates of what would count as a successful medal haul are trotted out and, as sure as eggs are eggs, disappointment will follow when the final total fails to meet expectations.

This is often harsh because, given the range of sports involved, it is difficult to gauge what constitutes a successful fortnight.

It is similar to the football supporter who gets irate when his team aren't winning everything in sight, having failed to realise that there are other teams trying to achieve exactly the same.

For every pound that is spent on what are – with the exception of athletics – essentially minority sports, another country is spending the same or more on the same thing.

The context that is necessary isn't applied as often as it should be and the conclusion is one of frequent gloom concerning the state of British sport.

The infrequent nature of the Olympics is another factor that should be taken into account.

To try and peak on a four-year cycle must be nigh on impossible, let alone a recipe for guaranteed success.

There is something admirable in the hoards of sportsmen and women whose lives are geared towards once in a lifetime opportunities. This is why whatever success Britain achieves in Beijing should be accepted for what it is.

All any competitor can do is try and prepare as well as they can and perform to the peak of their ability.

As long as the authorities in this country are trying to produce champions then they should be given some leeway.

Those at the peak of their respective sports, should they succeed, deserve their day in the sun and hopefully over the next fortnight, the media coverage will reflect that.