Olympians Playground
Photo by Mickey Lieu
We are still a couple of weeks to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing but pre-Olympic fever has turned a notch higher here in Singapore. Apparently, it seems like Singaporeans do not have to be in Beijing to experience Olympic fever because over the past week and in the coming days, top athletes from around the world have converged in Singapore for their pre-Olympic training and exhibition games.
In fact, some 700 athletes and officials from 24 countries are set to call Singapore home in the lead-up to next month’s Beijing Olympics, to get used to the time zone, heat and humidity, which are similar to Beijing – but with better air quality, food and fewer distractions.
Among the different contingents of athletes who have descended in our backyard included probable gold medallists like American swimmer Michael Phelps, Australia’s swim sensation Grant Hackett, Brazil men’s football team, and Croatia men’s water polo team.
Let’s take an overview of the teams that had arrived:
- The 44-member US swimming team, including six-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps.
- Canadian track and field squad with 2007 World Championships 800m silver-medallist Gary Reed, who will be set up camp here through the Games, flying out only for their respective events.
- The Samba boys from Brazil men’s football team led by the evergreen coach Dunga and 2-time World footballer of the year, Ronaldinho.
- Water-polo teams from eight countries – Australia, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Greece, Montenegro and Russia.
That’s pretty cool!!! Have you gotten to see any of the athletes yet, or will you get to at all?
Accessibility by members of the public to these sporting idols are close to none. As expected, security arrangements for them are water-tight, with some of the teams booking entire floor of hotel rooms, which are off limits to outsiders.
Fans can however catch their favorites in action in exhibition games for team sports like soccer and water-polo.
By and large, their training sessions are close to the public, leaving the athletes free of distractions and to focus on tuning their skills to tip-top condition.
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