Athens - Hestrie Cloete's focus is so intense, it's an energy that moves the hair on the nape of your neck.
The women's world high jump champion faced the international media on Tuesday afternoon in her final public appearance in the run-up to her Olympic qualification round at 20:00 Athens time on Thursday, which also happens to be her 26th birthday.
And she shone with self-confidence unprecedented in an athletic career that embraces IAAF Female Athlete of the Year for 2003 after two world titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals and a silver at Sydney 2000.
"I'll worry about celebrating my birthday after I've jumped the final. I'll save the celebration for when I get home to my family," she said.
"For sure, everything's okay," she smiled. "The difference between the Sydney Olympics and now is that I'm far more confident. I know exactly what I'm doing and I know exactly what's going on."
As she spoke, there was a fierce glint in her eyes and a determined set to her composure.
After facing the English media, she joined the small South African contingent.
"Nou praat ons Afrikaans," said the boeremeisie from Coligny in North Western Province. The world champion was in charge.
She even had no qualms about telling the media that she's a smoker. That raised a few eyebrows.
They'd heard about her smoking habit, that she'd light up away from the stadium after major competitions.
This was the first time she'd gone public about it to the world.
Cloete, who was born in Germiston and started athletics as an 800m runner before switching to high jump because she felt it required less training, arrived in Athens with a confidence-boosting 2,04m that she jumped in Zurich.
Coached by Michael Marx, her path to Athens this year has been one meticulous step at a time that has engraved consistency into her performances: 2.00m in Zagreb; 2.03m in Rome; 2.00m in Brazzaville and Madrid; 2.03m in Paris, Stockholm and London; then that soaring 2.04m in Zurich in early August.
"Two metres is no longer a threat to me," said Cloete at the Adidas Olympic headquarters at the lavish Politia sports club where the international TV news services and press interviewed her.
"I've got everything technically right. I'll be going straight for the 1.95m qualifying height in my qualifying round.
"I'm taking this one step at a time. I'm focusing only on my qualifying jump right now. Then I'll start my focus on the final."
In the final, Cloete is likely to come up against World indoor champion Russia's Yelena Slesarenko, the only other athlete in the high jump field who has cleared 2.04m this year; Croatia's Blanca Vasic (2.03m); and Veneva Venelina of Bulgaria who cleared 2.01m this year.
How, they wanted to know, had the Athens heat and humidity affected her?
"The heat is no problem," she said. "I've been here since the 17th (of August) and I've been out there training between 12:00 and 15:00 every day to get used to the weather at its worst.
"There was no heavy training, more like working on getting technically focused. Going through the basics and working on my run ups and takeoffs.
"I know that for some athletes life in the Olympic Village becomes a bit of a bind, but not me. I really enjoy it there.
"I've been out once, but the rest of the time I spent in the Village training, talking to my fellow athletes and relaxing in my room. I'm a real Village Animal," she grinned.
And what would she do from the time she woke up on Thursday, leading up to competition on the night?
"I'll sleep as late as possible, to about 10:00," she said.
"Then I'll have a cup of coffee and light up a cigarette. Then I'll have a good balanced meal.
After that I'll go for quiet time in my room and listen to Gospel music for the rest of the day until I leave."
And after the Olympics?
"That's something I'll only think about after these Olympics," said Cloete, 26, who has been talking to her husband Andries about the couple having a baby since before she won her first IAAF world title in Edmonton in 2001.
"There must come a time when I can be a normal wife to my husband."
But it's one step at a time for South Africa's high hope for gold on terra firma after the pace was set in the pool by the swimmers and rowers with gold, silver and two bronzes so far.
