An amazing dream come true

Allenby (right) and Cook celebrate pentathlon success

Pentathlon star Kate Allenby reveals the inside story of her route to a bronze medal at the Olympic Games to BBC Sport Online.

The Olympics was like a dream come true for me. You know how you have a dream and you think about what something is going to be like? Well, this was everything I had imagined it would be and more.

The whole thing was amazing. In the two weeks before the Games, I was terrified. I was up on the Gold Coast and the Olympics were on the TV the whole time.

I felt like a rabbit caught in the headlamps, and I got a bit nervous. And the Olympic Village was a bit of a freakshow - everyone had a different bodyshape.

When I got to the Pentathlon venue, something I was more used to, I was able to relax a bit more - at least for a while.

Allenby's fencing set her up for a medal

I had felt like I was drumming my fingers a bit with the pentathlon being on the last day. But the atmosphere in the camp and all the other medals that Britain was winning gave me confidence to go out there and compete.

We actually had breakfast with Audley Harrison on the morning of the event - he was gearing up for his gold medal fight and we were getting ready to go out for our day. It was a bit early in the morning to have a meaningful conversation but it was inspiring nevertheless.

In the first event, the shooting, my first two or three shots went fine and then I suddenly had this realisation - "Aargh, this is the Olympic Games" - and I couldn't hold the gun or get the target right. It all felt like it weighed about two tons.

Fortunately, after a few rounds, I managed to calm it down again, and in the end the shoot wasn't bad. It was at the bottom of what I would call my satisfactory range.

But then I got to the fencing, and I was on fire. I just knew I was going to fence well.

Amazing atmosphere

I got into the venue and there was this amazing atmosphere. The British support was fantastic. There were about 50 people there with flags and everything - the whole Barmy Army thing. I just love that environment. And I fenced really well.

I came in fifth overall with 14 wins and nine defeats, and the four girls ahead of me all had 15 wins and eight defeats, so I was really pleased.

That put me fourth going into the last three events, something I don't think I have been before, and that really put me into a medal position.

It was an amazing feeling to have us both on the medal rostrum. To end up with both the British competitors with medals was fantastic. I was completely overcome when I crossed the line - it was just like a dream

  Kate Allenby

I'd been having a bit of a disaster with my swimming before the Games, but I did my warm-up and said to my coach that I felt really great.

In the end, I did my best time of the year by far, and four seconds faster than I had swum in the world championships, so I was really pleased.

That moved me up to second place with just two events to go. The riding went well, I had a really nice horse, and I started the run second.

I knew it was going to be tough. I had the American Emily de Riel five seconds in front of me and Steph [Cook] 44 seconds behind. I knew I needed 50-55 seconds over Steph to beat her, but I just set myself a plan to try to catch the American, and if Steph caught up, then she caught up.

Hard

I did manage to catch the American about where I wanted to, but I just couldn't stay with her. She ran very well, and then Steph came past as well.

I knew it would be a really hard run, but you just have to do your best, and Steph was the better runner on the day. She deserved to win the gold.

It was an amazing feeling to have us both on the medal rostrum. Qualifying for the Olympics was so hard, and then to end up with both the British competitors who were allowed to run with medals was fantastic, especially as we get on really well.

I was completely overcome when I crossed the line - it was just like a dream.

Allenby (right) and Cook collapse in tiredness and joy at the end of the run

Highlights? Well, in the pentathlon it had to be the fencing. It really pulled everything together. And in the Olympics overall it would be the opening and closing ceremonies. I was just so proud walking behind the British flag. It was everything I had imagined it would be and more.

I haven't yet decided whether I'll still be competing at the next Olympic Games. I'm coming home on Thursday and we've got the World Cup coming up in France in two weeks' time, and then the world championship is in Britain next year, so everything is geared up around that at the moment.

With Steph, myself and Georgie Garland, who is another strong competitor, we've got a great chance there.