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A lot has been written about the handover of the Olympic baton from Vancouver to London, and the performances of Team Canada at their home Games.

Although Canada and won the coveted men's ice hockey gold, much has been made of the '' programme, and whether or not this put too much pressure on the Canadian athletes. Did they underperform? Was home expectation too much for them?

I think I'm right to say that every athlete dreams of competing at home. Success on home soil, in front of all your family and friends, would be the ultimate achievement. But at the same time, competing at home brings its own set of pressures and expectations as the clichés about the hopes of a nation get rolled out.

So I thought I'd weigh in with my tuppence-worth of opinion on the subject. Competing at home: hindrance or help?

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