All Over in 32 Minutes for Fastest Loser - Now It's Time for Shopping

It had to be somebody, the question was who. The first loser of the Olympic Games made it 32 minutes into the first day before she had to pack her bag and head home to the athletes' village. But not, she was glad to say, home from China.

The badminton arena was the venue. With play in progress simultaneously on all three of its courts, the start time of each match staggered in 10-minute intervals, one of six women would be the first to experience the pats on the back and the well-meant mutters of 'well played'.

In the first match Germany's Julianne Schenk took the first set and Malaysia's Maria Yulianti was favorite to be first out. But on the next court an Australian had lost her first set 21-6 by the same time, despite starting 10 minutes later. It had to be somebody, and it was Erin Carroll, a 22-year-old Australian from Ballarat, Victoria. It was 9.32am local time when Spain's Yoana Martinez struck a match-winning smash and ended Carroll's Olympics before most other competitors had even begun.

Carroll was happy enough to talk when asked 'How does it feel to be the first person to be knocked out?' Understandably so perhaps, given that she is not competing in any of the doubles events, but is staying on to the end of the Games, leaving her with two weeks to do her three favorite things: 'Shopping, eating and watching sport.'

Carroll had not been in the original Australia team, but snuck in when some spaces were reallocated by the International Badminton Federation. She has been playing at the top level for a couple of years, so she was happy just to have taken part. Which is not something you hear often from an Australian.

Grinning, sweating, Carroll was not happy about how she had played. The Spaniard had thrashed her, tucking into her serve with relish. In all, Carroll won just eight points.

Ah, well. She was still enthralled by the experience of playing in this vast domed arena in front of the large, loud and appreciative crowd. She will, she said, carry on training while her team-mates are still in the competition. Really? 'Yeah, well, actually I'll probably become their feeder, make up for the diets the rest of them are on.'

Carroll disappeared into the changing room, anticipating the coming two weeks of fun and high on the Olympic spirit. If you're going to lose, best do it early.