ALL GUTS, NO GLORY

Some of China's athletes are facing the harsh reality of the Olympics, as the moment they've prepared so long for ends in crushing disappointment

Along with records broken and medals celebrated, competing at the Olympics is more often littered with narrow defeats, last-gasp errors and mental meltdowns that build true character and sportsmanship.

Chinese athletes, as much as they strive to win, have had to learn the hard way, and perhaps the only way, in Paris that it's not just about wins and losses, but more about wins and lessons, as they draw strength from setbacks to come back stronger at the next try.

The Chinese men's gymnastics squad was the latest to fall foul of the suffocating mental grind on the Olympic stage, after an error-laden performance on the last apparatus in Monday's team final cost it dearly in its quest for gold.