A lean and mean looking South African swimming team took its first tour of the Rio pool a day after arriving in Brazil for the global showpiece.
The team spent the last few weeks based in the US where they were making final adjustments to their preparations.
As the swimmers walked onto the pool deck, they could not help but glance wide-eyed at the rows of blue and green seats that enveloped the pool deck.
National swimming coach Graham Hill pointed out this was the big stage - and it had a way of cutting giants of swimming down to size.
Youtube-star-cum-freestyle-swimmer Calvyn Justus did a 360 degree video of himself with the pool moving in and out of picture.
As much as some of the swimmers tried to hide it, they were all in awe of the great arena where dreams will either be shattered or be made.
The team’s two lynchpins, Olympic gold medallists Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, quietly took in the surroundings.
Van der Burgh greeted politely before enjoying a silent moment at the side if the pool, seated where his Rio campaign would begin the defence of his Olympic 100m breaststroke title on Saturday.
Hill gave a wry smile when asked about the team’s readiness for the 2016 edition of the quadrennial showpiece.
“The US camp was good, we spent little over three weeks there, and we got some really good work in there, the swimmers were good, the weather was good and the food was good so we are in a good place,” Hill said.
“We finalised a few things, making sure everyone is in a good place, healthy, and injury free.
“We did a last bit of prep work, sharpening on a few things like doing the relay takeovers.”
Myles Brown could be the first swimmer to challenge for a medal should he make it past Saturday’s 400m freestyle, and into the evening’s final.
Sebastien Rousseau and Michael Meyer will also open their accounts on the Saturday in the 400m Individual Medley.
Le Clos will open his account in the 200m freestyle on Sunday, and if everything goes according to plan, he will be in the final on the same day of the 200m butterfly heats and semi-finals.
Hill was positive about the team’s prospects at the Games, and expected a surprise or two from the other swimmers.
“We’ve had great build-up, I think we are in a great place, the team morale and confidence are high,” Hill said.
“They are in a really good place so I think we are going to be okay.”
Hill was coy about the make-up of his relay teams but admitted they had the 4x200m combinations all but confirmed.
The freestyle swimmers would have to produce the goods throughout the week to earn a spot in the medley relay quartet.
The relay team would rely heavily on backstroker Christopher Reid in the opening leg before Van der Burgh and Le Clos covers the breaststroke and butterfly legs.
“We have the luxury of swimming the week first before the medley relay, and we will be able to decide as the week goes on our freestyle leg,” Hill said.
The Star