Triathletes, the iron men and women of the Games, will be asked to brave more than the water over the Farm Cove course where 48 of them will contest the first leg of the Games' opening event.

After all the pre-Olympic publicity surrounding the possible presence of sharks in the harbour (there have been six fatalities since 1942), a new obstacle has been found for the triathletes in the 1.5 km swim.

"There were definitely no sharks - just a lot of jellyfish," said a British contestant. "I could feel them brushing across my face. I am more worried about the other competitors - a few bashes from them are much sorer than the jellyfish."

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