What do you think we came here for, silver? Stuff the silver, we come for the gold!
The immortalised words of legendary Australian coach Laurie Lawrence when Duncan Armstrong won the gold medal swim at the 1988 Seoul Olympics aptly sums up the mood in the South African swimming camp.
The country’s two golden boys, Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, were looking relaxed ahead of the start of the swimming today.
National swimming coach Graham Hill carried a wry smile as if he had a secret he was pining to share with the world.
While all the talk about Le Clos’ second Olympic Games rightfully centred around the defence of his 200m butterfly title and his tussle with American icon Michael Phelps, pundits have largely ignored his 200m freestyle chances.
The talismanic South African swimmer does not seem to feature on their radar despite reaching the final at last year’s world championships.
He may not be considered a medal prospect in the freestyle event but, from where I am sitting, he could be a galloping dark horse.
Le Clos is on the cusp of becoming the country’s most decorated Olympian should he win two medals from the four events in which he'll be competing at the Rio Games.
He will renew his rivalry with Phelps in Monday’s 200m butterfly heats where they'll face each other for the first time since London 2012.
The London backslapping from four years ago has now been replaced by side-swipes as their relationship has turned rather frosty over the past few months.
That will only add to the narrative at the Games as the two heavyweights of butterfly swimming steel themselves for what promises to be one of the epic battles in Rio.
Hungarian world champion Laszlo Cseh could be the spanner in the works going into the Olympics as the No.1-ranked butterfly swimmer.
Le Clos will have a second bite at the cherry in the 100m butterfly on Thursday before swimming in a promising medley relay team.
Van der Burgh and Le Clos go into the Games ranked out of the top three in their respective events and would be happy to be labelled as underdogs.
Their season’s best times was posted too long ago to have any relevance ahead of competition which makes them a dangerous unknown quantity.
Van der Burgh has an equally imposing challenge as he looks to defend his 100m breaststroke crown against world record-holder Adam Peaty of Britain.
Ranked ninth in the world this year in his specialist event, Van der Burgh would be happy for Peaty to enjoy the favourite's tag.
Peaty is the only swimmer to have dipped below 58 seconds in the 100m breaststroke, and it wouldn’t be completely crazy if Van der Burgh joins him in an exclusive club.
Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima is the only 100m breaststroker since the 1968 Games in Mexico to defend his title with his 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing victories.
South Africa's female road cycling ace, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, seems to share Lawrence’s view on the Games as she takes aim for gold in the road race tomorrow.
Moolman-Pasio walks around with the same confidence as the two swimmers but, while they keep their cards close to their chests, she openly professes that she plans to step onto the top step of the podium. - Saturday Star