CBC's Andrew Chang in Rio: the first post-event interview

This may surprise you, but in swimming, journalists feel absolutely awful about interviewing athletes after a race.

It's not because we're afraid of hurting their feelings (they're tough) or because they're camera-shy (they're not).

It's because the minutes after a race are crucial for their cooldown. There is an incredibly precise routine elite athletes go through immediately after a grueling race to prevent the buildup of lactic acid, and it's especially important when that same athlete may have another race later that evening.

• CBC's Andrew Chang shares his Rio experiences

But back to the photo.

In this case, Canada's Emily Overholt asked to stay behind with us. She was competing in the second-to-last heat of her event, the 400-metre individual medley, but she'd finished with a time that left her on 'the bubble.'

She'd have to wait and watch the final heat of swimmers to know whether she'd advance to the finals.

I was standing just a few feet away from her. She looked absolutely sick to her stomach.

I asked her afterwards, what was going through her head at that moment, and she told me: "I was more nervous in that moment than I was before or during the race."

Of 33 swimmers, only the top 8 advance to the final.

The result? She placed eighth and advanced.

(Postscript: Emily Overholt raced in the final later that night and finished fifth).