Troy Rawhiti-Forbes: Winners only if you're British

During the first night of track and field competition at the Olympic stadium, the ground's announcer took advantage of a lull in proceedings to deliver a message:

"Breaking news from the Aquatic Centre ... Rebecca Adlington has taken bronze."

It had the desired effect. The Britons in the audience, which is to say probably 95 per cent of the audience, roared with full passion and volume.

Adlington is the darling of British sport, and rightly so. She's talented, gracious, well-spoken, and she probably hums God Save The Queen in her sleep.

She won two gold medals in Beijing, and it was there that she posted a time in the 800m freestyle that smashed the Olympic, British, Commonwealth, and European records.

With two gold and two bronze medals to her name, Adlington is Britain's most successful Olympic swimmer. Ever.

But what about Katie Ledecky? Wait. Who is Katie Ledecky?

She's the American swimmer who didn't simply pursue Adlington's 800 metre freestyle crown; she snatched it clean off her head and was halfway up the pool with it before Team GB's golden girl was any the wiser.

Ledecky. At 15 years of age, the youngest member of Team USA. An unlikely champion.

Not that you'd have known any of this if you were in the Olympic stadium and didn't have access to the internet.

Yay, Adlington got bronze, let's move on.

It's the same on television, though I'm okay with that. I set low expectations for broadcast coverage. If New Zealand was to get any significant airtime, what about the rest of the Commonwealth?

I'm also okay with Britain's athletes getting the credit they deserve. Bradley Wiggins is a phenomenal cyclist. But Ledecky made significant history in the water. Michael Phelps, also not of Team GB, broke his own record for the most Olympic medals ever. He has 22 now. Never mind, Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon.

Some of the Olympics' greatest achievers aren't getting their proper dues right now, simply because they're not British.

Follow Troy Rawhiti-Forbes on Twitter: @TroyRF