BEIJING, China - British rower Peter Reed looks a little bleary-eyed when we meet on Friday morning. Three hours sleep and the gold medal in his pocket explain the reason why.

"It's gloves off and enjoy yourself, now," he says while gently sipping water in a café around the corner for the Athlete's Village.

While there are still some athletes competing, it's clear that the atmosphere in the Athlete's Village changed from the site of professional dedication and focus to something more like a university campus at the end of term.

Since his win in the coxless fours in the rowing competition, there have been plenty of late nights for Pete and his crew to go along with all the press events and conferences.

As for GB team rules: "Just respect the other athletes who are still competing, and don't get arrested," he jokes.

The British block is next to the Brazilians and Swedes and everyone rubs along pretty well, he says while the café’s waiting staff come over for photos with Pete and his gold medal.

"The Kiwis have a whale of a time, the Aussies and Americans, too. It helps speaking the same language, but we can go out and have fun with the Chinese, speaking the international language of having fun and dancing."

It's understandable that after four years of dedicated training and self discipline, cutting loose from the strict regime leads to a heady atmosphere.

"We've got a nocturnal lifestyle now. It's so, so far away from what we do normally which is training seven days a week, in bed by 9.30 p.m., getting up at 5.30 a.m. It's a world apart but so much fun."

Sometimes too much fun. While athletes train to perform feats of physical endurance, speed and strength it seems they're not always too well prepared for a big night out.

"I came back at close to 6 a.m. a couple of nights ago and I had to step over athletes who hadn't quite made it back to the Village. They'd staggered out of the taxi but hadn’t quite able to get their accreditation out and pass through security."

He was too diplomatic to say from which country they came from, demurring to at least say they came from Asia.

As for activities in the Village: "It's an amazing place to be. It's going to sound a bit pervy, but the swimming pool in the Village is incredible, there are the most amazing bodies lounging around by the pool, it's like a music video."

A slightly freaky one, perhaps.

"There are incredible athletes from different shapes and sizes, from different nations. Guys that are nearly 8 feet tall that tower over me and girls that weigh about 35 kilos (77 pounds). It's all completely different, very nice to see and a crazy place to be."

In a place that has such a high concentration of perfect physical specimens, the Games have been renowned for the socializing between athletes to become even more intimate - 100,000 condoms were supplied to the Village at the start of the Games.

"100,000?," he laughs. "I reckon it's just the Kiwis making water bombs out of them and chucking them out the windows at the support staff. That sounds like a good night out for them."

Posted by: CNN.com's Dean Irvine, Peter Reed
Filed under: China •Olympics •Sports