ATHENS -- Simon Whitfield thanks you, Kyle Shewfelt.

It took Canada nine days before Shewfelt delivered a gold medal here at the Olympics. Whitfield didn't want to show up halfway through the Games and be asked about maybe having to deliver Canada's first gold medal, as he did on Day 2 last time in Sydney.

"I refuse to buy into any idea that I have to deliver a gold medal to save this Olympics for Canada," Whitfield said yesterday at a news conference in advance of the triathlon on Thursday.

Unlike his experience in Sydney, Whitfield's event in Athens comes toward the tail end of the Games. He watched the opening ceremonies at home in Victoria, then joined the Canadian team for a short training camp in Geneva before coming to Greece.

"It's quite a different experience, it's a different atmosphere," Whitfield said. "In Sydney I was a wide-eyed kid."

A LITTLE MORE STRESS

Leading up to these Olympics, Whitfield has been more stressed.

"I had food poisoning and an allergy problem. And I got stressed. I wasn't fixated on the outcome, I was fixated on the process. I've always had fun. I went into the last Olympic Games and the last Commonwealth Games with that attitude."

But during the past week or so he has rediscovered his fun-loving side.

"I came to the athletes village Sunday and had a great experience. It was a perfect day," Whitfield said. "I saw a lot of people and it was really like being back in Sydney."

Whitfield certainly seemed to be enjoying his tete-a-tete with the media yesterday.

"Piercing blue eyes," he said. "Write that I've got piercing blue eyes. We've got a little bet going here (with his teammates) and I need you guys to write that I have piercing blue eyes."

HAVING HIS FUN

Whitfield has been having some fun with his opponents, too.

"I can see the tension in them," he said. "I had a picture taken with two of them with me in the middle. I stood on my toes so I stood taller than them so it looked like I was on top of the podium. I'm starting to have some fun. All the work is done. All that's left to do is race."

He says it has been hard watching the Canadian athletes who didn't live up to expectations, particularly the rowers who are also headquartered in Victoria.

"You have no idea how many hours (the rowers) put in and how dedicated they are. I'll be out there riding my bike and look out on the water and those poor bastards are out there with no clothes on working so hard ... it makes me do another 15 kilometres."

Whitfield's coach in Sydney, Barry Shepley, who is working here for CBC, likes Whitfield's chances.

"I can see him repeating," Shepley said. "The other guys are looking more and more nervous. There is such a difference between a World Cup race and the Olympics.

"The thing I like about Simon is that he's not afraid to lose. He doesn't go to the starting line terrified. I think our rowers were afraid to lose."