The athletes sound pretty stoked to be soaking in the Olympic vibes in Athens. 

Cody Simpson - AUS

It’s my first time in Athens, it's nice to be here.  I warmed up in the 2004 Olympic pool where I watched (on tv) so many races that inspired me to swim.

Siobhan Haughey - HKG    

It's my first time in Athens so I am glad the Swimming World Cup is here.

It's really a special feeling.  Yesterday I got to tour around the city, I went to the Olympic stadium with all the marble floors, it’s so beautiful.  There is so much history here.  It means so much to me to be here as an Olympian.  I swam in the Olympic pool used in the 2004 Athens Games.  There is so much history here.  So many Olympians and Olympic medallists  walked on these pool floors and through these doors and raced in these pools. 

Kaylee McKeown - AUS 

I think it's pretty spectacular.  Australia had some pretty cool swims in the pool here, so to try to relive that is pretty spectacular as well. It's great to be in a place where the Olympics was born.  I had a chance to warm up in the 2004 Olympic pool.

It reminds me of Sydney so it reminds me of home quite a bit. The weather is quite nice, it’s also warm.  It’s an amazing facility for the SWC here.

Brendon Smith - AUS 

First time I have been to Athens.  Yesterday I went to visit the birthplace of the Modern Olympics.  It was great to see some of these things in person.  To visit where the Olympics was held and to see some of the Olympic torches from history that were on display.  To train in the 2004 Olympic pool was really special.  I know the Race of the Century (200m freestyle) was swum in that pool between Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED), Ian Thorpe (AUS) and Michael Phelps (USA).  

This pool looks good and I am really excited to see how I will race.  I hope to build on my performances from Berlin, and I hope they will be good.  

Michael Andrew - USA

It’s amazing. This is my third time in Athens in the past seven months. I love it here, I feel like home. Not only because being in Athens you understand the history of the modern Olympics from its beginning in 1896 through 2004, and to the present.   

It's cool to see the energy of the athletes and the coaches in a good environment for racing.

Athens is incredible.  I got to see the Acropolis and learn a little bit about the significance of olive tree and olive branch and the significance of victory that comes with that.  Learning more about Greek mythology is cool.  There is so much of that here. You don't see a lot of this in the States because the USA is a nation that is much younger. To be in a country that is so proud and excited for its history and that goes to great lengths to preserve their history, is pretty special.

I think the SWC is a great lead-up to the Paris Olympics. For me I have always believed that, racing is the best training.

Kim Busch - NED 

I think it's a beautiful event, the Swimming World Cup.  Athens is a very nice city.  I really like Greece.  I look forward to racing here.  The pool looks amazing. 

I studied about Athens in school but I have never visited before.

Trenton Julian - USA 

It’s awesome.  I have never been to Athens before. It’s really cool.  I have always wanted to come visit.  Being here to race, too, is all the better. I am excited for the atmosphere and to take in the history behind swimming here.

Ingrid Wilm - CAN

I am really excited to be swimming in Athens.  This is my first time in an Olympic pool. I can tell that they have put a lot of work into this event.  I can't wait to take in the atmosphere of the experience tomorrow and to compete. Seeing all the efforts behind the scenes makes me more excited to perform better.

Jérémy Desplanches - SUI

It's my first time here.  It's very inspiring to see the pool and the place where some of the world's greatest swimmers competed.  In the nearby Olympic pool is where they swam amazingly, won gold medals and set world records during the 2004 Athens Games.  It's very inspiring to be here.  

Teresa Ivan - SVK

Honestly, it’s incredible to be here. Growing up I always wanted to visit Athens, but I never had the time.  So, having a meet here is really cool. I saw the 2004 Olympic pool walking on the way in.

Arno Kamminga - NED

It’s my first time in Athens, although I have been to Greece twice before. I feel amazing here. 

The Swimming World Cup pool looks cool. It's the second time I have raced in a pool that hosted the Olympic water polo.  I also raced in Beijing in the 2008 Olympic water polo venue used during the Champions series.  

I don’t think the field has even been as stacked.

Katie Grimes - USA

I think it’s pretty cool.  I always love watching the reruns of swimming at the Athens Olympics.

I got to see a little bit of the city yesterday, when we visited the Acropolis. We really learned a lot. I just love the history of this city.  

We swam in the 2004 Olympic pool. It was just a little bit warm, but it was inspiring.

Cate Campbell - AUS

It’s pretty special to compete at an Olympic venue.  I can clearly remember watching the 2004 Athens Olympics.  I fondly refer to the Athens pool as the Jodie Henry pool.  She obviously won gold in the 100m freestyle and two other golds as part of those all-conquering Australian women relay teams.

Mitchell Larkin - AUS

It’s special, I have been to the Greek Islands before but never Athens.  Yesterday coming out to see the 2004 Olympic swim stadium was pretty special.  We took a tour of the old (1896) Olympic stadium and you walk out and see the marble seating and your mind sort of flashes to a packed stadium where everyone is screaming and roaring.  It's’ pretty remarkable.

Nic Fink - USA

First time in Athens so that’s fun. I was able to get in the 2004 Olympic pool on the day after I arrived and it’s really cool.  Whenever you get a chance to dive into a pool and swim in a pool where Olympic history is made, that’s a really cool experience.  it’s part of an Olympic legacy, it's pretty special.  I am really glad that I was able to find my way here.

Lani Pallister - AUS

It's my first time in Athens, I went to the Acropolis yesterday and I looked around.  I am hoping to visit the original Olympic stadium today before the competition begins.   

Even when I was in my Uber yesterday driving past the Olympic stadium, you had that special feeling. It's the birthplace of the Olympics and it’s a surreal feeling.

We are 288 days outside of the Olympics in Paris.  What better way to kick it off with a meet in Athens?

Contributing: Gregory Eggert, World Aquatics Correspondent