People

My role is to deal with and manage anything and everything outside the athletes' technical preparation. I work closely with the performance director, coaches and team, making decisions such as whether to train in our regular training base or overseas, or at altitude, or perhaps to bring in overseas athletes to help us with sparring.

Taking a team to the Olympic Games is different to a dedicated world championships, where you are captain of your own ship. At the Games you're one of 26 sports taking part and you have to learn to interface with them all. Knowing which information is useful and relevant to everyone, and which information I just need to be aware of is my biggest challenge. It could be managing media expectations or deciding what promotional work to do. Although we are keen to be involved in some things, it's about filtering through what's necessary and not just a distraction.

Performance equals potential minus interference. I'm the guy who tries to minimise interference so that the athletes' potential can be realised. Getting on the podium myself (I won a team Bronze medal for Modern Pentathlon in 1988) is a great Olympic memory. Seeing Steph Cook and Kate Allenby take home Gold and Bronze in the first ever women's modern pentathlon at Sydney in 2000 was also special. I belted out the national anthem in front of all the Australians, who looked at me as if I was a complete idiot, but I didn't care.

As a result of the Games, youngsters are getting the chance to enjoy sports facilities they had no access to before. Sport is a great way for kids to grow self esteem and develop in a safe environment.

Dominic Mahony is the GB Modern Pentathlon Team Manager

• Tweet