Rio Olympics athlete village is the best I’ve ever seen, says Australia’s chef de mission Kitty Chiller

IN 100 DAYS this is where Australia’s Olympic hopefuls will be living together, an athlete village hailed ‘the best ever’ by Kitty Chiller. Behind the scenes pictures!

AUSTRALIA’S Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller has praised the athletes village in Rio, declaring it the best she’s seen.

While organisers are still faced with a number of challenges as the clock ticks over 100 days to go, Chiller is confident the athletes will have no complaints about their accommodation.

“This is the fifth village I have seen, and been in, and I honestly think it’s the best,” Chiller said. “It’s really nice, it’s a high rise and there are 31 of these 17-storey buildings.

Aerial view of the athletes’ village in Rio

“There is mature vegetation, there is a lot of water features and leisure pools in the village as well which is the first time we have ever had that.

“We are really, really happy with the location of our building and the configuration of it inside, it will be a great home for us at Games time.”

Chiller was in Rio in February and was pleased with the progress that had been made to get the venues ready for Olympic competition.

“That was our last planning visit and it was my fifth time to Rio,” she said.

“The difference that I had seen in the six months prior to that was huge so the venues are now fantastic and they’re having test events at the majority of the venues.

View from the 17th floor of the Australian athletes apartment

Inside what an athlete’s bedroom will look like.

“They all look great and they’re starting to actually dress them so it really now feels like an Olympic city.

“There is still a lot of challenges and a lot of work to go with the infrastructure around those venues so the road, the transport links and some of the hotels are still to be finished.

“There is a lot still to do there, they can’t take their foot off the pedal but progress is coming along really well.”

Widespread vegetation outside the apartment blocks

Following last week’s news surrounding Grant Hackett and his alleged nipple tweaking of a passenger on board a Virgin flight from Adelaide to Melbourne following the Australian swimming trials, Chiller has made it clear that poor behaviour from athletes will not be tolerated.

After the Hackett incident and the well documented issues the swimming team had at London 2012, Chiller explained that while athletes will not have their every move monitored, certain security measures have been put in place.

The difference that I had seen in the six months prior to that was huge so the venues are now fantastic

Kitty Chiller

“It’s not us being big brother,” Chiller said. “We don’t want to lay down rules but we’re responsible for the welfare, health and wellbeing of every athlete so we do have some security guidelines in place.”

Chiller added that the Australian team hierarchy will encourage athletes to use social media but had educated them not to be distracted by it.

The team had also been warned about security in Rio with several no-go zones and rules regarding after dark activities.

Every four apartment blocks will share a pool facility

No room for company, general lay out of the common lounge area

To date 60 athletes who have their ticket booked to Rio are aged under 25. The youngest being shooter Aislin Jones at 16, and her teammate Warren Potent at 54.

When the final athletes are announced in mid-July, the Australian Team will comprise around 440 athletes.

“It is fantastic to see the Team take shape and the wonderful mix of youth, experience and talent across the board,” Chiller said.

Rio taking shape 100 days out: Gallery

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Meanwhile, Brazil promises a roaring Olympics partydespite battling nightmarish political and economic gate crashers.

Officials say the stadiums are 98 per cent ready and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach has promised “an excellent Games.” But the first Olympics ever staged in South America is threatened by an almighty hangover before it even gets under way.

The revelation by officials Monday that 11 people have died on Olympic construction sites — compared to eight across all Brazil for the 2014 World Cup — cast a grim shadow.

Construction continues at the transport hub for athletes

Then there is the major turmoil on the political stage where President Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment.

Usually, Rousseff would be the one in Rio’s Maracana stadium announcing the Games open on August 5. However, with impeachment proceedings — that she claims are a coup d’etat — about to start, Rousseff is likely to be replaced by her vice president, Michel Temer.

And the fact that Temer also faces possible impeachment illustrates how volatile Latin America’s biggest country has become — a fact that could point to turmoil, including street protests, just when the international spotlight is on Brazil.

Throw in a tanking economy, high crime and the Zika virus and some start asking whether Brazilians will even want to turn up to Rio’s $11 billion show.

“The Games are a huge party,” says Pedro Trengrouse, a sports expert at the Fundacao Getulio Vargas think tank in Rio. “But we only party when we’re happy.”

Originally published as Rio Olympics athlete village is the best I’ve ever seen, says Australia’s chef de mission Kitty Chiller