PYEONGCHANG 2018: As we hit seven days to go, the first Aussie athletes are touching down in South Korea and the atmosphere is electric.
Reigning World Champion Britt Cox and her Sochi 2014 teammates Matt Graham and Brodie Summers arrived last night to a flurry of media at the Incheon International Airport.
“It’s so exciting to arrive in Korea today,” Cox said.
“I just had an 11 hour plane trip and I wanted to sleep but I was too worried and excited to get here.
“Now I’m here I can’t wait to get on the course and get skiing.”
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Current world number three Graham said there is nothing like the Olympic atmosphere but he is feeling more relaxed heading into his second Games.
“The Olympics only come around every four years, but it doesn’t actaully feel like that long ago we were at Sochi in Russia,” the 23-year-old said.
“It’s nice to get back in the Olympic enviorment and it’s going to feel more comfortable than last time at Sochi.”
For Brodie Summers, arriving in the host country is a more significant moment than it is for most.
The 24-year-old reuptured in ACL in September 2017 which threw his Olympic dream into dissaray.
But five months later, and having completed an intense rehabilitataion program, Summers was give the all clear and he’s ready to get into competition mode.
“I am so ready to go,” he said.
“It’s been a stressfull few months getting the body ready and back in shape for the Games, but now we’re here and now I’m back with the Team it all feels real.
“We’re a very strong freestyle team and I think we’re all ready to put down the runs we know we can and hopefully at the end of the day we win the first prize in the meat raffle.”
Cox, Graham and Summers will join their mogul skiing teammtes in Seoul for a night before heading east to move into the Olympic sub-site at Bokwang Phoenix Snow Park ahead of competitoin kicking off on Day 0 (Febryary 9).
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Short Track Speed Skaters Deanna Lockett and Andy Jung were the first athletes to enter the the Gangneung Athlete Village at the coastal cluster.
The pair live and train in Seoul with Korean national teams, so were fortunate they could jump on a bus to PyeongChang yesterday.
“Entering the Olympic Village is very exciting,” Sochi Olympian Lockett said.
“Andy and I train in Korea so we didn’t have to travel too far to get here and it’s not too foreign, so it’s all very exciting.”
Arriving at the Olympic village is a dream come true for Korean-born Jung.
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“I’m so excited right now I don’t even know how to explain it,” he said.
“Plus I just found out they’ve got free Maccas so I’m pumped.”
Lockett and Jung will be joined by speed skater Daniel Greig and the four figure skaters at the Gangneung Coastal Village over the next few days.
Australian athletes will continue to arrive over the coming days and will be spread out over the Coastal Village at Gangneung and in the mountains.
Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au