There are usually only 2-3 athletes with a significant chance of winning the gold medal (where 80%+ chance one of those athletes ends up with the gold). I'd im

There are usually only 2-3 athletes with a significant chance of winning the gold medal (where 80%+ chance one of those athletes ends up with the gold). I'd imagine silver ends up being one of those gold competitors more often, meaning the result was a disappointment relative to their hope. On the other hand, bronze ends up being one of the competitors from the field more often, meaning that medalling at all was a great outcome compared to what they realistically could have expected. I've mostly been watching Judo this olympics, since it's the sport I'm focusing on personally, and this observation shows itself on a match-by-match basis. The competitors with the best chance of winning it all are calm and already thinking about their next match after a victory. The competitors that don't have a realistic chance of winning it all are jumping up and down, fist-pumping, etc in a round-of-32 victory. I imagine it's really just expectation vs result, which is not really a new or unique phenomenon at all.