Bulgarian Mihail Alexandrov felt great after his first training in Water Cube Thursday evening, saying that "the water is as smooth as honey".
But the men's 100-meter breaststroke world record holder in short course was quite low-pitched ahead of his second Olympics, only aiming at making finals in his events.
Alexandrov, 23, is slated to take part in the 100m and 200m breaststroke as well as the 200m individual medley events during the Beijing Olympic Games.
"I just expect to make the finals," said Alexandrov, who arrived at Beijing Wednesday afternoon together with his father and coach Plamen Alexandrov.
Although Alexandrov seior believed his son was really talented in swimming, the former Olympian said he expected nothing from his three swimmers including his son at the 2008 Olympics.
"I have no expectation. We are here just for participating in the Games," said Plamen Alexandrov, who competed in the 100m breaststroke race at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
It seemed that Plamen Alexandrov cared more about the weather than he did about his athletes.
"I couldn't see the sun," Plamen Alexandrov shrugged his shoulders with disappointment. "I hope to see blue sky and bright sun."
Plamen Alexandrov revealed that his son was just considering becoming a professional swimmer. "He just graduated from college this year and hopes to be a pro swimmer."
As for Mihail Alexandrov, the sixth finisher in the 100m breaststroke at last year's Melbourne World Championships, his long-time goal is to break the world record of the event in the 50m pool.
"I want to break the world record. Since I'm the record holder in the short course, I also want to do it in the long one," Mihail Alexandrov said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)