Australia were one of the first teams to arrive in Brazil leaving Sydney a week ago, and since then Alen Stajcic’s squad have been putting in the hard yards ahead of next month’s opening match at the Games.
The Aussies landed at their training base in Fortaleza on Wednesday after a grueling 25-hour journey from Sydney.
The first task was adjusting to the warm temperatures in Brazil’s north, after a number of players had spent preparation time in chilly Canberra over the previous month.
With matches in quick succession and a relatively small squad to choose from (18 players), Stajcic pinpointed preparation as the key to Australia’s success at the Games.
And the squad have got straight to business in South America. After a relatively light session on day two, the Aussies were put through the paces with a punishing double session on day 3 in hot conditions.
And the squad was tested with tough sessions on days five and six…