Nick Mashiter's Olympics diary - August 4

Jess Varnish as too upset to speak immediately after she and Victoria Pendleton were effectively disqualified from the team sprint final on Thursday for an early changeover.

The pair were guaranteed a silver medal, at least, in an event they were not even favourites in.

And to have that opportunity ripped from you – after four years of blood, sweat and tears – must be horrendous.

It would crush some, they would be unable to recover, but there was a steely determination from Halesowen Cycling Club star Varnish.

When I spoke to her not even 24 hours after her gut-wrenching relegation, there was a confidence in her voice which must have been almost impossible to muster in the aftermath of Thursday night's events.

Her and Pendleton had set a world record in their first ride, seen it broken by the Chinese two minutes later and then denied a crack at gold in the cruellest way.

But her mind is already on Rio in 2016 and proving she can become the best female cyclist in the world no Pendleton has retired after winning the keiren and individual sprint.

You have to be a fantastically skilled and fit to climb the peaks Varnish has in her short career but the rest comes from within.

Mentally she has already begun the healing process and firmly told me she will forget the hurt and will be back.

It was the biggest disappointment of her career and she might have lost a shot at gold but Varnish is already showing signs of a champion.

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Keeping with cycling Andy Tennant is Wolverhampton's newest gold medallist to join Tessa Sanderson and Denise Lewis.

It will be bittersweet for the 25-year-old though as he was forced to watch from the sidelines as Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh took the plaudits for their team pursuit win.

It was a stunning victory over arch rivals Australia – in a world record time – which ripped the roof off the velodrome.

That would have been a little consolation for Tennant with the squad close friends on and off the track.

But that he didn't pedal an inch in anger during the rounds and the final would have been hugely frustrating for fierce competitor Tennant.

Tennant missed out in the World Championships in April when the team pursuit guys won gold as well.

Then he powered them to the final after being selected for the semi-final but was forced to watch and suffered another frustrating evening last night.

He rides for Rapha Condor Sharp in the Halfords Tour Series with Ed Clancy and the team felt for their friend.

They went out of their way to ensure Tennant was mentioned in the post-race dispatches to highlight he is still a vital part of the team.

It says a lot for his temperament and professionalism that, after such a massive disappointment, he was cheering them on to victory.

And the fact Sir Chris Hoy offered his support to 25-year-old Tennant shows in what high regard he is held by the British team.

Hoy tweeted: "Brilliant @Ed_Clancy @Petekennaugh @StevenBurke88 @GeraintThomas86 you're all legends. Must be mixed emotions @tennanto chin up mate."

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The Olympic Stadium was open for business yesterday.

It was a different kind of show to the opening ceremony but there was still a raucous reception to greet the athletes as they opened their London 2012 campaign.

Gone was the 'Green and Pleasant Land' and in were Jessica Ennis, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Greg Rutherford, Dai Greene and Birchfield Harriers' Louise Hazel.

The opening ceremony – over a week ago now – brought pyrotechnics and there were certainly early fireworks from Team GB's track and field stars.

Ennis set a new heptathlon record in the 100m hurdles to wow the 80,000 who had packed into the stadium.

Seasoned Games reporters commented that it was the biggest crowd they had ever seen for the first day heats at an Olympic Games.

Gone were the fears over empty seats – and indeed Brits feeling the pressure – on a magnificent day in a wonderful stadium.

It marked the start of the second-half of the Olympics and as Team GB click into gear it could be an exciting time.