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Like many other Australians, you probably have spent the past week tuned into the Olympics, watching Aussie swimmers dominate in the pool.
While most of the attention has been on the races themselves, you may have also noticed some strange mannerisms from the competitors before they mount the starting blocks.
Many of the athletes, including the likes of Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus, can be seen splashing their faces before a race — despite the fact they are about to dive into the water.
They have also been spotted slapping their arms, chest and legs.
Why do they slap?
Michael Legge is a swimming coach based at Warners Bay in the New South Wales Hunter region and has coached several swimmers who have gone on to be Olympians.
He told ABC Newcastle Breakfast that splashing and slapping has become a "ritual" for many athletes.
"They slap themselves to get the blood flowing, it gets the adrenaline pumping, they're waking their muscles up," he said.
"It's like rugby league in the 80s … when they're standing in the sheds and they slap themselves in the face to be able to pump them up and get ready to play football. The swimmers have adapted some of that."
Mr Legge said while it could have a physical impact, he believed it was more of a mental thing.
"Sometimes it's that placebo effect," he said.
"You think, 'If I hit myself harder, I'm going to race much faster.'"
Mr Legge said not all athletes chose to slap their body to prepare.
"You'll also see athletes sitting there, breathing and focusing, it's just different techniques to prepare yourself," he said.
Loading...What about splashing?
Mr Legge said many athletes will also splash their face and neck prior to a race, to prepare to dive into the cool water.
"It's about temperature, to get their body ready for that water when they first dive in," he said.
"But it's also to get their swimmers to sit tighter on their body."
Mr Legge said most athletes wore brand-new swimwear and wetting their suits could help them stick.
"It helps get the swimmers to work with them when they dive in that water, rather than getting an air bubble or something in their swimmers," he said.
"That means that they might pop back up the top of the water quicker, [so it] slows them down."
Layers of clothes and caps
As the swimmers walk into the marshalling area, most of them are wearing layers of jumpers, jackets and trackies, just to strip it all off to jump in the pool.
Mr Legge said the athletes rug up to keep their muscles warm.
"By the time the athletes get to the pool they have done their warm up," he said.
"Most of them have warmed up anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour before their heat.
"So, these jackets are on to keep their muscles warm and ready to race."
Viewers have also noticed some swimmers wearing two swimming caps.
Mr Legge said for people with long hair, they like two use two for extra support and to keep the cap tight on their heads.
"They say hair encourages drag or can potentially slow you down," he said.
"The first cap is to be able to keep their hair in, and then they'll put their goggles on.
"And then the second cap is put on top to keep their goggles on, but also it makes things a lot tighter as well, to be as fast as possible."
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