Marc Lim recognises the people who make it all happen for the athletes.

In Beijing

ONE would have thought Tao Ran and Li Yan would have never had to spend a cent on anything swimming -related. After all, they have raised an Asian Games swimming champion and one of the better endorsed athletes in Singapore.

But the parents of Singapore's swimming sensation Tao Li just blew $800 on tickets to watch their daughter swim. 

So high is the demand for tickets to the swimming event at the Beijing Olympics that tickets prices are going more than 10 times the cover price. Maybe it has something to do with that guy Michael Phelps and his bid to win eight gold medals. Who knows.

But all Tao Ran and Li Yan know is that they can't miss their daughter's time in the spotlight. Not after she became the first Asian to clock 57.54 secs in the 100 metre butterfly. Not after she made it to the final on her Olympic debut. And definitely not after she became the first Singaporean to feature in the top eight at the Olympics.

Hey, but wouldn't any parent do the same? Can someone put a price to seeing your own flesh and blood, pride and joy, in her moment of glory?

Sure. But when you're a swimming parent, football parent or parent of any athlete for that matter, the giving seemingly never ends.

They part with time, waking up early to prepare a hearty breakfast, the most important meal of a growing athlete's day. They ferry their kids to and from training, battling droopy eyelids and rush-hour traffic.

And perhaps most precious of all, they part with their children's childhood. Holidays are spent in training, rarely on vacation with the family.

As a parent of one of Singapore's current Olympians once told me: "Sometimes I don't know who's worse off  - us or the athlete. We wake up early, go to sleep later because we take care of the laundry, the cleaning up. Then in competitions, we're the ones who go through roller coasters rides of joy, sadness. And don't even get me started about injuries."

The parents of British 14-year superstar Tom Daley can probably relate.

The Daily Mail reported that among the most important things on Rob and Debbie's "must-bring" list to Beijing to watch their son in the diving competition are: Packets of sherbet dabs (his favourite sweets), an Olympic computer game and a couple of disposable underwater cameras. The latter must be for Tom to just be the teenager he is.

Like the Daleys, the sacrifices may be significantly less when a child reaches the heights of the Olympics, but they certainly do not stop.

Everyday at the Water Cube National Aquatic Centre, an usher waits with a sign that reads "Swimming parents."

Yesterday, the name Manadou (Laure) and Phelps (Michael) were among the many names there.

Yes, they are all here in Beijing, cheering on their superstar children to greatness. 

So while we salute the stars of this Games, spare a thought for their parents. Speedo did and it is refreshing to note that the swimwear giant is organising "Meet The Parents" sessions in celebration of those behind the scenes.

We'll be there, to hear their stories - or just to say, thank you mom and dad (mine included).