When Geoff Whitfield went for a dip in the ocean recently, it wasn't to cool off from the searing heat.

Rather, it was to spread around some "good vibes" for his Olympic champion son, Simon, who competes today in the men's triathlon, here in Athens.

"His dad has been in the water and had a special swim and we've walked the course -- or at least part of it," Linda Whitfield said from Canada House, a meeting place in the historic Plaka district, that the Canadian Olympic Committee runs for the athletes and their families.

"He was passing out good vibes into the water and he touched one of the buoys," she said with a chuckle, referring to one of the floating markers that set the course for the 1.5-km open-water swim in the famous beach of Oceanida in the municipality of Vouliagme, about 45 kms south of the Olympic village.

Linda, who has run a half-marathon herself, said she was very sad for Perdita Felicien, who fell Tuesday in the 100 hurdles. She said that the two hours it takes for a triathlon to run its course means one misstep like that of Felicien's, is not as crucial and can be compensated for during the race.

Besides the swim, there is a 40-km bike race and 10-km run.

"Nevertheless," Linda said, "we as parents are all relieved when they get off the bikes. That's when we all breathe a sigh of relief because so much can go wrong, other riders can create danger, or a blown-out tire can, so that's what I worry about most."

Linda said her son, who won gold at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, is ready and healthy.

"The important thing for us as parents is that he's going to be Simon when this race is finished. And that's so wonderful."

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THE CONTENDERS

Medal threats in men's triathlon today:

- Peter Robinson and Greg Bennett, Australia

- Andrew Johns and Tim Don, Britain

- Bev Docherty and Hamish Carter, New Zealand

- Ivan Rana, Spain

- Dmitriy Gaag, Kazakhstan

- Hunter Kemper, U.S.

- Simon Whitfield, Canada

- Vladimir Polikarpenko, Ukraine