WATER CUBE DEBUT FOR SWIMMERS

BEIJING, CHINA: Australia's high profile swim team has trained in the spectacular Water Cube for the first time, 24 hours after the wild media frenzy that greeted the squad at the Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday.

A relaxed team was again mobbed by media, team captain Grant Hackett surrounded by a Korean television crew as soon as he got off the bus at the pool.

The 43 member team, including Athens gold medallist Libby Trickett took photos and admired the setting that had become one of the most anticipated venues in Olympic swimming history.

Tomorrow Hackett, Trickett, Leisel Jones, Eamon Sullivan, Jessicah Schipper and Stephanie Rice will participate in a press conference at the Main Press Centre that is being billed as one of the biggest of the entire pre-Games period.

Organisers are already planning for a full house and will transcribe the press conference into eight languages - English, Chinese, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Spanish and Korean.

Australia's head coach Alan Thompson, who will also join the press conference, said his team was excited but relaxed when they arrived at the pool.

"Everybody was looking forward to coming to the pool for the first time and a lot of them got their cameras out and were savouring the moment," Thompson said.

"Once they got a few shots they got down to business and went about their jobs very professionally.

"We are trying to remain very balanced when it comes to our emotions and so far everyone is doing a good job of that."

Thompson down played any rivalry with the world number one United States team, believing if either country concentrated solely on the other it would be to their detriment.

"A lot of people talk about a two-horse race between us and the USA but there are a lot of up and coming countries and new people on the block we will have to deal with," Thompson said.

"Many countries only have to make small conversions from what they showed at last year's World Championships to improve in the medal tally."

The American swim team was due into Beijing today and will come face to face with the Australians in coming days.