Sally Pearson remains the most confident athlete in Australia's Olympic team and sees no reason to change despite the cautionary tale of swimmer James Magnussen.
Magnussen, whose brash self-belief over the past year had been unwavering, admitted this week his first Olympic experience and the bitter taste of two rare defeats had been a humbling reality check and a lesson in life.
But Pearson's conviction that she will win the hurdles gold medal remains as solid as ever.
"We are two completely different athletes," said the world champion, who won silver in Beijing four years ago.
"I have done it all before. I have been competing for Australia since I was 16 years old. I have been to two Olympic Games, four world championships and two Commonwealth Games.
"I know how to stay grounded, I know how to stay focused and I know how to stay hungry.
"They are the three keys to why I keep running so fast."
If Pearson's main rivals such as Lolo Jones, Kellie Wells and former Olympic champion Dawn Harper thought the Magnussen experience might cause her to have second thoughts, they had better think again.
"I definitely rank myself number one, and everyone else is second," Pearson told reporters in London on Thursday.
"My personal best is so much faster than everyone else. They have so much catching up to do."
Pearson seems to have none of the trouble handling pressure that the swimmers have felt.
"I don't see it as pressure, I see it as support," she said.
"Everyone wants you to win. It keeps me on my toes, it keeps me hungry and it's the position I have put myself in. I am the hunted and everyone is chasing me."
Pearson had her final training session on Thursday and has three days off before her event starts, which she plans to spend "chilling out" and watching the track and field program on TV.
She has visited the Olympic track, taking photos of the main straight and watching final touches being put to the arena.
Pearson has one final message that might send a chill through her rivals: "I can't wait to get out there."
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