Nick Dempsey

My dad had a board, and my older brothers windsurfed. I just wanted to do what my brothers did. I was seven, I think, and I was like, 'Can I go, can I go, can I go?,' and I've never turned back.

As an athlete, my first Olympic experience was Sydney 2000. I remember seeing people getting medals, and I thought, 'Wow, that's where I want to be.'

Going to the Olympic Games is the greatest experience anybody could have, and you just don't want to let yourself down.

People who learn to windsurf, they're in it for life. It never gets boring. It's always different, amazing, exciting. It's such a wonderful feeling when you're ripping through the waves, feeling weightless.

The reality is being an Olympic windsurfer is bloody hard work, and it is a huge commitment.