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Australia’s start to the 2008 Beijing Olympics has to date been satisfactory, at best. After day one of the two week showdown, the Australian Olympic team is off to their worst start since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Road cyclist Michael Rogers had hoped to claim Australia’s 400th Olympic medal, but failed as the humidity and heat took its toll.
Rogers finished sixth in the 245km race, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
“The conditions were just so humid and hot, it was a real war of attrition today,” he told media after the race.
“Unfortunately, as soon as I started the sprint, I cramped.”
Team-mate and Tour de France runner-up, Cadel Evans also disappointed fans, finishing 15th.
At the Cube, Grant Hackett’s bid for a medal in the 400m freestyle looked a bit shaky after he qualified fifth.
The veteran Olympian said he had plenty of reserves in the tank and is confident of a better finish in the finals.
Meanwhile, Libby Trickett advanced into the 100m butterfly semis, but only just. The 23-year-old swimmer struggled, finishing 12th in the heats.
But it’s not all bad news for the Aussie swim team.
Jessicah Schipper is on target for Gold in the same event after qualifying fastest with a pace of 57.58 sec.
Glamour girl, Stephanie Rice also won her heat in the 400m individual medley.
Although Australia have yet to win a medal, day two promises to bring more success for the Aussies with 14 gold medals up for grabs in the pool.
The Australian Boomers will play their first match against Croatia today, while the host nation, China will take on the American Dream Team.
China currently tops the medal tally with two gold. USA is second.