WHILE Bendigonians suffer through another agonising heatwave, Australia’s best athletes are traveling to Sochi for the winter games.
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The temperature will be freezing, but the competition will be fierce.
The super cool athlete is one of the favourites to take out gold.
Sixty athletes will don the green and gold at the games.
It is Australia’s biggest team sent to a Winter Olympics.
Alpine skiers, figure skaters, snowboarders and bobsledders will try their might, hoping to bring back gold.
Australia’s best medal return at the Winter Games is two gold medals and one silver in Vancouver four years ago but the Olympic committee is hoping these games will be our best yet.
Over the next two weeks seemingly unknown athletes will become household names.
Australia's best medal hopefuls include Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin.
He is competing in the snowboard.
The snowboard event can last just 90 seconds, it is a race where athletes go head-to-head.
Just picture a BMX race on snow.
The 26-year-old has won consecutive world championships and overall world cup title in the 2012/2013 season.
It is a feat unmatched by any other Australian in any winter sport.
The super cool athlete is a favourite to take out gold.
I am sure his charming persona and relaxed can-do attitude will win Australia’s hearts.
I am a fan and will be cheering for him when he hits the slopes.
Torah Bright, the girl with the golden smile is also back for another Olympics.
At the Vancouver Games in 2010, she won gold in the halfpipe.
Despite suffering two concussions in training before competing in the final, Bright was able to post an unbeatable score.
It was heroic.
If her efforts are anything to go by, there is no stopping her in Russia.
One of Australia’s youngest competitors will be Scotty James.
He made his Olympic debut in Vancouver when he was just 15 years-old.
Since his first games his snowboarding career has skyrocketed.
In his last event before the Sochi games, James won his first World Cup medal, a bronze in the snowboard half pipe.
He is an exciting talent.
Jana Pittman will also be the first Australian woman to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Pittman's best Olympic finish is a fifth placing in the 400m hurdles in Athens in 2004.
Ten years on she is competing in the bobsleigh.
Whatever position she finishes in, in Sochi, it is a remarkable achievement.
I am sure the games will produce some magic moments from not only Australian athletes but those from around the world.
It is going to be an exciting games and I can't wait to see what happens.
The opening ceremony is on Friday.
