Athens - World high jump champion Hestrie Cloete holds the focus as South Africa's athletic gold medallist hopeful when she takes to the Olympic Stadium on Thursday, but there's still loads of colour among South Africa's Olympians as the finishing line comes into sight for these vibrant and historical Games in Athens.
As South Africa's 400m hurdlers Llewellyn Herbert, Alwyn Myburgh and Ockert Cilliers primed themselves in their attempt at Olympic history on Tuesday night when they hoped to succeed in the semis and become the first nation with three in the final of the event, activity for the week was alive in the SA camp.
Sprint kayaker Alan van Coller is steaming it up in the 500m and 1 000m - he races the 1 000m semi-final on Wednesday - but the quietly spoken man from Greenside in Johannesburg is keeping his explosive energy saved for the shorter distance in which he came sixth in gale conditions in Sydney 2004.
Also on the water - for the start at least - is former Pietermaritzburger Megan Hall in the women's triathlon on the beaches at Vouliagmeni on the outskirts of sprawling Athens.
Hall, now based in Australia, enters the field of 50 in the 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run rated 54th in the world.
When she dives into the bay, she takes on heat, humidity, an extremely tough course and the strongest field of women triathletes in the world.
Conrad Stoltz, who races the men's triathlon on Thursday, went out to eye the route on Tuesday: "The water's about 28 degrees," he said. "The cycling is tough, which would suit me. The run is quite flat, but I'm mostly worried about the heat.
"I've rested quite well this past week. Megan is well prepared but a bit nervous."
The cycle leg, unlike the course at Sydney where triathlon made its Olympic debut, is a leg-breaker with hills that will prevent a pack from forming.
The field is expected top be spearheaded by No 1 ranked Barbara Lindquist and swim-specialist, fellow-American Sheila Taormine.
Stoltz, who made a name for himself when he led the Sydney Olympic triathlon for much of the cycling leg, competes for South Africa on the same course on Thursday.
Hendrik Ramaala arrives on Wednesday from training in France for Sunday's Olympic Marathon, then his team-mates Gert Thys and Ian Syster arrive from their final preparations in South Africa on Thursday.
South Africa's hockey men play out for ninth position against Egypt on Wednesday, as do the women against Spain on Thursday.
Shaun Bownes scraped into the 110m hurdles second round qualifier on Wednesday, diver Jenna Dreyer competes in the 3m springboard on Wednesday and 17-year-old Stephanie Sandler gets her Olympic campaign under way in artistic gymnastics in individual all-round qualification at the Galatsi Olympics Stadium on Thursday.
