Behind the scenes – fears, tears and rawness of sport

What does a Games smell and feel like?

- Deepanraj Ganesan

At the Supachalasai National Stadium, hurdler Calvin Quek has just crossed the line to clinch Singapore’s first gold in the men’s 400m hurdles in 60 years.

He stumbles into the media mixed zone, the area where every athlete, winner or loser, passes, separated from the waiting press only by a row of barricades.

In this zone, Quek’s sweat and tears sum up the rawness that is sport.

Hunched over, spent from this gruelling one-lap race with 10 hurdles, he asks for water, sits down, back against the wall.

Malaysia’s Muhammad Aiman Najmi, who finished fifth, is sprawled out beside him, equally exhausted.

Quek stands to speak, but before he can talk he bursts into tears. Finally, the magnitude of what he has achieved hits him.

Welcome to the mixed zone, the emotional hub of the SEA Games.

This zone has many forms.