You're absolutely missing the point. They have a completely different mentality than normal people, they're obsessed with being the best and they don't care what it takes to get there.
You think it's stupid because you haven't tried looking at it from their perspective.
It's not about "bragging rights" it's about the culmination of their career. Proof that they worked the hardest and are the best at what they do.
It's the same motivation for people who end up curing disease, they worked the hardest and are the best at what they do.
What they do is the only difference.
Except if they're just taking a pill to get a gold, then it isn't about hard work, it's just about the medal.
You're absolutely missing the point. They have a completely different mentality than normal people, they're obsessed with being the best and they don't care what it takes to get there.
You think it's stupid because you haven't tried looking at it from their perspective.