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Canada's trampoline team members Karen Cockburn, left and Rosannagh Rosie MacLennan pose as they arrive at Heathrow Airport ahead of the Olympics in London on July 26.MARK BLINCH/Reuters

Canada's Karen Cockburn and Rosie MacLennan were the last two to leave the floor of the Olympic trampoline venue on Thursday, taking a moment alone there before they contend for the podium in two days time.

All of the trampolinists in the men's and women's competitions had their one day in the actual Olympic venue on Thursday, testing the two official trampolines. Both veteran Olympians, Cockburn and MacLennan were very precise about what they wanted to accomplish in the one-hour session they had with a group of other trampolinists. They took a moment alone at the end to do visualization.

"We were imagining what it will be like filled with people," said Cockburn. "We were trying to mentally train and prepare ourselves.

They said they noticed the trampolines soften up as the session went on. They added that organizers have people to jump on them before the athletes arrive in order to soften them for the athletes. They anticipate the trampolines will soften again by their competition on Saturday after the men compete on them Friday.

The athletes get to choose between the two available trampolines, which one feels better to them, since they vary in power and timing for the athletes.

Cockburn and MacLennan have been living with Canada's women's artistic gymnasts in the athlete's village. They have decorated it in Canadian flags.

"They have a lot of energy that's for sure, so it's been fun rooming with a bunch of teenagers," said 31-year-old Cockburn of the Canadian team that finished fifth in the women's team final. "They made history, so it inspires us and pushes us."

Aiming for her fourth medal in four Olympics, Cockburn reflected on how much she and the sports have both changed over the past 12 years, now entering her final Games.

"Sydney in 2000 it was the first time for trampoline, people thought it was a demonstration sport, they had no idea what it was," said Cockburn. "And I was 19 and just had no idea what was going on. I feel like a totally different person now. It's been amazing to see this sport go from pre-Olympic to this has been amazing. I have loved the journey with this sport, and I'm so happy people are seeing the exciting stuff we do.

She reflected on how much the training opportunities and sport science available to her have changed, laughing that "the athletes, we used to massage each other because we had no medical staff and we had to pay for everything ourselves."

Among their training mates on Thursday was China's He Wenna, the favourites for gold. The Canadians admit they were checking out her skills in training.

Asked how they enjoy the vibrant, hot-pink gymnastics venue, they said they aren't distracted by its brightness, like some other athletes have said.

"The only thing we noticed with the pink venue is that when we sit on the pink ground to stretch, it makes us look more tanned," said Cockburn, laughing.

MacLennan, 23, who aims for the podium for the first time in her second Olympics, was struck by how much more calm she feels doing this for the second time.

"It's amazing how much more prepared I feel this time, and I can deal with how big the Olympics feels," said MacLennan. "This time, I know now that at the end of the day, it's still just a trampoline competition."

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