Canada's Charles Francis trains at the main pool at the Aquatics Centre before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London July 26, 2012.Reuters
Like a lot of Olympic athletes, Canada's swimmers will take a pass on marching in Friday's opening ceremonies. The show runs late; there's too much time spent standing around. Legs get tired, patience runs thin.
Plus, the swimming competition begins Saturday morning.
Still, there will be a celebration of sorts for the Canadian swim team. Three-time Olympian Brent Hayden explained the swimmers will gather today in the Athletes' Village and follow the opening ceremonies on television.
"We'll watch when Canada marches in (to the Olympic Stadium)," Hayden said. "We'll cheer and do high fives."
And then?
"When the next country comes in, we'll go to sleep."
It'll be much the same story for diver Emilie Heymans, who is maintaining a personal streak at these Games.
"I'll have been to four Olympics but I've never actually seen the opening ceremony (in person)," she said with a laugh. "It always seems as if I'm diving the first or the second day. It's never really been an option so I can't say it's something that I really miss."
Heymans said she did get to walk in the opening ceremonies of the Pan-American Games held in Winnipeg and remarked: "Even if it's a smaller event, the crowd was amazing. It was quite a feeling going into the stadium."