BOXING: Despite a couple of grueling weeks of training in the US and a long overnight flight into Brazil there were nothing but beaming smiles across the faces of the three Australian boxers who have arrived in Rio de Janeiro for their first Olympic Games.  

Shelley Watts, Jason Whateley and Daniel Lewis were amongst the first group of Australian athletes to touch down in the 2016 Olympic city after flying in from Miami.

It has been a long road to Rio for the trio but now that they have arrived they are ready to make the most of the  experience.

"I think it's a massive honour to be only the second female in Australian boxing history to compete at an Olympic Games," said 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Watts.

"When it was announced for London that boxing would be a part of the Games I hadn't started boxing and then by the time the 2012 Olympics had come around I had only been boxing for two years. 

"I think it struck the fire in me to push for the Olympic Games myself." 

Watts watched the London 2012 fights back home and was determined to follow in the footsteps of Australia's first female Olympic boxer Naomi Fischer Rasmussen.

"You get goosebumps when you see female athletes competing and doing well. 

"Naomi did an amazing job and she was an amazing role model for me. Now that I'm competing I hope to push female boxing both in Australia and around the world and hopefully inspire that Olympic dream in others."

For Lewis, London 2012 was a case of so close yet so far. 

"In 2012 I was 17 and trying to qualify for London," said the 21-year-old from Penrith. 

"It's always been my dream to be an Olympian and I had fought very hard to get to where I was at the time. I fought Cammeron Hamond to get the spot for London but lost by two points and suffered a broken jaw."

Despite just being one win away from Olympic qualification it proved to be a long way back for Lewis.

"I had a set back and for a year and a half I was out of the sport but when I came back I was so hungry to make the Olympics for Rio. 

"I just stuck to it and now it's a dream come true. I've done my family proud and I feel I've done myself proud."

The Australian Team has been training hard in the US as they look to push towards a medal in Rio. 

"It's been great, we all get along really well and have created a tight bond," said Whately. 

"The last 10 days in Miami was fantastic. The training has been full on and hard but being there has helped refresh the mind.

"I'm feeling fantastic and just can't wait to get in there and be there at the end to."