KEY POINTS:
You'd think Dean Kent would be used to all the palaver surrounding the Olympic Games by now.
Beijing will be his third crack. He is one of the senior members of New Zealand's 15-strong squad and one of seven to have qualified for individual events.
Yet at 29, and preparing for what is likely to be his final big meet contesting the 200m individual medley, Kent reckoned he was as nervous qualifying for Beijing as he was in Sydney in 2000.
"That was probably because my fiance and mum had already purchased tickets," he quipped yesterday.
But the buzz remains intact, and if you're looking for someone fit to bust with pride at pulling on the silver fern look no further than the man who insists that for all the hoopla that can build up at times like this - and even if he's lived in the big smoke for years - underneath it all he's just "a guy from Levin".
If the younger members of the New Zealand squad are fretting over the approaching challenge, they should park themselves beside Kent for a while and get in his ear.
He vividly recalls the pivotal moment of his career nine years ago, when he was team captain at the Pan Pacific championships in Sydney. It was the first opportunity to qualify for the Olympics in the same city the following year.
He was so wound up at wanting to lead by example as first New Zealander in the pool he blew it, expending emotional energy in the time before his race.
"I tried to psych myself up. But I wiped myself out mentally, and because of that physically. I got out and didn't want to be there," he said.
Never again, he vowed. Just relax, think positive thoughts, be myself, was his mantra. A year later, same place, same pool. Time to banish any demons.
"I walked out to lane one, 17,000 people and I was staring right into the teeth of it," he recalled.
"[Australian champion] Matthew Dunn was in lane five and the crowd was going bananas. It was a hugely charged environment and I swam a personal best and New Zealand record.
"A year after my disaster, and the worst race I ever did proved to me I could handle the big occasion and get the best out of myself."
And that's it, in a nutshell. It's just another meet, albeit a hugely significant one, if the preparation has been good, and your task is in sharp focus you're in business.
"The nervous energy of the Olympics will get you up. It's about being able to control that."
Kent, silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games two years ago, finalist at the world champs last year, and again at the world short course champs this year, won't change a thing this time, even though it could be his last event for New Zealand.
Mention of that gets his eyes glistening. When it comes to swimming for his country, his heart is never far from his sleeve.
In Kent's case, there are two elements at work - staying calm and focused, while savouring the bigger picture.
"I'm so hugely proud to wear the silver fern and give it everything. If you're not totally 100 per cent focused on what you're about to do then you're selling yourself short.
"The occasion of the Olympics is awesome and a huge natural high. I don't think anything will come close to it in terms of my sporting career."
