In this era of immediate media, an athlete’s reaction to his or her performance at an Olympic Games is shown on the spot.

And what has been obvious in comments from athletes at the London Olympics, especially those Nova Scotia athletes we are watching so closely, is the strong connection they share with their many supporters here at home.

Winning or losing, the athletes have shown that the hometown fans clearly aren’t far from their thoughts.

For example, after a seventh-place semifinal finish in the women’s 400-metre event Saturday, an emotional Jenna Martin made her supporters in Nova Scotia feel like they were part of her accomplishment when she said: “I just hope that I made everyone proud.”

“I wish that I did better, but they were with me through thick and thin and I couldn’t ask for more.”

After winning his second bout of the Olympic boxing tournament and setting up a huge Tuesday quarter-final showdown against England’s Freddie Evans, Dartmouth’s Custio Clayton constantly emphasized the importance of his local support.

“I’ve got a lot of fans back home, and I thank everyone for being behind me,” he said. “I’m going to prepare for that fight (with Evans) and hopefully bring a medal home.”

Sure, our Olympic athletes are giving their all for themselves and their team, but, as we have been shown from abroad, their hearts are never far from home.

There was considerable excitement when Canada closed out the first week of Olympic competition with more than a fistful of medals — 10 in the first half alone.

In fact, a story by The Canadian Press on our first-half performance called it an “astonishing medal pace.”

I suppose it is astonishing compared with 2008 in Beijing, when Canada didn’t medal early but came on strong in the second week. It is not that amazing, though, when compared with what some of the leading nations are doing.

In fact, our medal total in the first week only put Canada a bit closer to the rack-’em-up pace the Canadian Olympic Committee had predicted for these Olympics.

The committee had called for a 12th-place Canadian finish, which, based on figures from the Beijing Olympics, translates into 24 medals. An equally optimistic Canadian Press predicted Canada would win 22 medals in London.

Bottom line? They may have been “astonishing” results so far, but Canada has to pick up the pace to match the predictions.

One of the problems I have with modern Olympic Games is the hypocrisy involved in the way events are often conducted and policed.

To me, what makes the Olympic Games special, especially in a world where high-level sports of all types have been so sullied by money, is that it is the one major sporting event that supposedly still values ideals.

But we all know the Olympics aren’t so pure.

There have already been charges of cheating at these Olympics, allegations that have seen athletes and at least one official sent home. There are certainly questions about a boxing referee involved in a match in which a boxer scored five knockdowns over his opponent but still lost the decision. And there has also been a charge of match-fixing in badminton after teams were accused of intentionally losing to improve their seeding.

I think there is only one solution in instances when competitors, officials or coaches have been deemed to have committed serious offences such as doping or cheating. If they are found guilty, then kick them out, not just for one Olympics, but permanently.

(ccochrane@herald.ca)