NOCs Hold High Expectations One Year from Rio 2016

(ATR) The United States, Australia and Great Britain are all aiming to make their presence known at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

The U.S. has had convincing performances over the last few Summer Olympics, bringing home the most medals of any country in the last five Summer Games. At London in 2012, the lead in the medal count was brought on largely by strong performances in track and field and swimming.

A year ahead of Rio 2016, it seems the U.S. may not be able to count on dominating performances in aquatics. The U.S. team is off to a slower start at the FINA world championships currently taking place in Kazan, trailing Great Britain and Australia in the overall medal count.

The U.S. will aim to reach the podium in several other sports where they failed to do so consistently in London. Athletes in equestrian, gymnastics, and sailing will all aim to make up for disappointing results in London by instituting new coaches and training practices leading up to Rio.

Chef de mission for Australia Kitty Chiller says the country will strive for a top five finish at next year’s games in Rio. Although swimming is one of the strengths for the country, Chiller says the team cannot rely solely on a strong performance in aquatics.

"History shows the swimmers win around a third of our medals at the Games. I feel we need to take the pressure off the swimmers — we should not rely on them to deliver the bulk of our medals. Other sports need to step up. Equestrian, taekwondo, beach volleyball — they were all on the podium in Sydney, and they all have genuine chances to be on the podium again in Rio, and we need them to be," Chiller says.

Chiller says the team will also take a strong stance against doping and betting violations.

"If you dope ... if you cheat and you're a member of the Australian Olympic team, we will name, shame and put you on a plane," she says.

Team Great Britain wants to be the first country in recent Olympic history to win more medals at the upcoming Summer Games than when they hosted the previous Games. The team took home 65 medals at London 2012 and will seek to better that mark in sports such as athletics, rowing and swimming.

Great Britain is currently tied for the lead at the FINA world championships and could turn that momentum into more medals at Rio 2016, bouncing back from only taking three medals at London 2012.

Team Canada will try to capitalize on a successful Pan American Games which they hosted in Toronto. They brought their biggest delegation ever to the event and won more medals than they had at any previous Pan Ams.

"After coming off such a successful Pan Am Games, the Canadian Olympic Committee is excited to now look ahead to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Rio is going to be phenomenal and I applaud all of the hard work being done by the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee to prepare for what I know is going to be a world-class Games," said Canadian Olympic Committee president Marcel Aubut.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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