Cycling heavyweight Anna Meares not fussed by cancelled Rio Olympic test event

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Defending Olympic  champion Anna Meares says her preparation for this year's Rio de Janeiro Games won't be affected by the cancellation of the track cycling test event because the 250 metre wooden track hasn't been installed in the Brazilian city's velodrome.

The construction of the 5000-seat velodrome has been the most problematic of all the venues being constructed for the Games because of constant delays.

Organisers appointed new contractors to finish off the job a few weeks ago but they have been forced to cancel the test event scheduled for April 30-May 1. However, they insist the track will be fully functional by May 31.

Taking things in her stride: Anna Meares.

A training event will take place over June 25-27 but Meares, who is preparing for her fourth Olympics, said she wouldn't allow the cancelled event to be a problem. She also refused to be critical of the Brazilians for the delay, saying it was crucial that they got it right.

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"They don't feel like they can get the [wood] down in time in a manner that they're happy with," said Meares. "I'm not too fazed about it because we're going to be there early enough to get time on the board before the Games

"It's a unique venue  and I can imagine the challenges for them to get the typical Siberian [pine] they have to find. I'd like to see them lay it ��� and lay it well ��� and be proud of the stadium they have rather than rush it for a test event."

Australia's hot-shot track team is ranked third in the world and Meares ��� the world's most successful female track cyclist ��� said she agreed with the Australian Olympic Committee's estimate that the nation's cyclists ought to win seven medals ��� three gold, three silver and a bronze ��� on Rio's track, road and BMX course.

"I'm very optimistic," she told Fairfax Media. "Going off our world championships I'm very, very excited about the endurance context and the sprint context.

"We've got a really great mix of young guys, a great mix of experience and I think we are capable of delivering. I'm excited to be a part of the team as a result of that [belief]. This will hopefully be my fourth Olympic campaign ��� the team hasn't been named yet, that window is still open until the end of June ���but I get goose bumps just thinking about it."

Meares' quest to win a third Olympic gold medal received a tremendous boost on Wednesday when it was announced she had joined the planet's fastest man, Jamaican 100m sprint champion Usain Bolt, in Optus'  Relentless Improvement national advertising campaign.

"It will be very cool to show people different aspects of my life and how I've ended up where I've ended up," she said of the campaign that will track her rise from BMX bandit to world and Olympic champion.

"It's hugely exciting. What people will see is while I'm an individual athlete I have a big team supporting me from my parents to my siblings to my friends, my coaching staff and teammates. This is my 22nd year in the sport; 15 years of that has been at the elite level, and so many people have helped me."

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