This week at team processing in Houston, most Team USA Olympians are making their last stop in the United States before taking off for the Rio Games.
"It comes over you in waves," USA triathlete Greg Billington said. "There are days it seems real, and then there are days where it seems like some kind of ethereal thing that's going to happen to somebody else."
The first-ever media tour of Team USA team processing revealed swag heaven, where athletes visit multiple rooms filled with Ralph Lauren, Nike, Oakley and other brands' apparel, and stuff their travel bags full of gear before they're shipped off to Brazil.
"This is fantastic so far," USA triathlete Ben Kanute said while wearing the Team USA Ralph Lauren closing ceremony uniform. "These are sweet."
But another major part of team processing is the athletes meeting with the United States Olympics Committee about topics like how to represent the United States in the Olympics, and the health concerns in Brazil, including the Zika virus.
"Really, I'm just focused on my event," Kanute said. "The USOC takes really good care of us and they're taking a lot of precautions. I feel confident we're all going to be safe when we go down (to Rio)."
They feel safe and solely focused on Olympic dreams which are now just days away from becoming a reality, with the opening ceremony for the Rio Olympics set for Aug. 5.
