Less then 40 seconds was all it took for an Iraqi judoka and a sprinter as well as an equally outclassed Afhgan runner to see their Olympic dreams flash past them.
Hadir Ali Lazame - born in Baghdad, exiled in Syria and trained in Japan - had come the roundabout way to Athens only to see his opening bout in the judo competition last just nine seconds.
That was all it took for Yeldos Iksangaliyev of Kazakhstan to win their heavyweight contest and put an end to Lazame's dream.
"Other athletes prepared for the Olympic Games for two years. I had only 10 days," Lazame said.
"This tournament was a huge experience for me, although I'm disappointed for losing the match."
His wasn't the only tale of hope and expectation both failing to deliver.
Inside the Olympic Stadium, Iraqi 100m sprinter Alaa Jassim's taste of the Games lasted just under 13 seconds while Afghainstan's Robina Muqim Yaar spent over 14sec negotiating the opening heat.
"I was a little bit afraid because Christine Arron and the big girls were there," said bespectacled 18-year-old Jassim. "They were very fast - it didn't last long."
{{/usCountry}}"I was a little bit afraid because Christine Arron and the big girls were there," said bespectacled 18-year-old Jassim. "They were very fast - it didn't last long."
{{/usCountry}}Yaar, whose only concession to her Afghani background was the long lycra tights she wore to cover her legs, was seventh in her heat in a time of 14.14sec, placing her comfortably ahead of Fartun Abukar Omar of Somalia.