What's the point of representing your country in the Olympics?

Question

Whats the point? I mean then every country should be only able to send his BEST athlete not a bunch of them..

Answer 1

You can't really choose ONE best athlete out of every sport...I mean how can you compare a gymnast and a swimmer, or a runner and a diver. Every sport, for the most part, is so unique that it would be VERY hard to choose a overall best athlete.  

Answer 2

Pride in your country...pride in your self...pride in your training and ability...a lifetime acheivment...Olympic spirit and the spirit of competition.  Not all sports are just a one man sport...kinda goofy to just see on person playing soccer against another.

Answer 3

The don't just send a bunch of them, they send a group of their best athletes to compete in different events. If countries could only send one it would be a very f'd up situation. For example, how could we expect Michael Phelps to represent USA in basketball or gymnastics? It just wouldn't work.

Answer 4

Then you wouldn't have any swimming relays... :(

Answer 5

Each country is restricted to the amount of athletes they can send for each event which varies across events.  If each country could only send one the margins would be huge as you would have people like Phelps swimming against people like "Eric the Eel".  That would be no competition and no one would want to watch it.