BEIJING − Australian athletes at the Winter Olympics have a “performance-enhancing stimulant” to power them to gold − flying their own barista into the Covid-secure Beijing bubble.
The coffee-loving Australians did the same thing at the Tokyo Games last summer and it was such a hit they have replicated it in the Chinese capital.
“The purpose of the barista was it’s a tried-and-true assistance for high performance,” Australian chef de mission Geoff Lipshut said today − two days ahead of the opening ceremony for the Beijing Games.
“We had the barista in Tokyo, where the team did incredibly well. It seemed like a no-brainer.
“Given our winter athletes travel so long away from Australia, we can bring a little touch of home and have that available.”
Phil Bellingham, who is taking part in cross-country skiing, hopes the caffeine shot from a Queensland barista brewing Australian coffee will propel him up the rankings.
“Coffee is a performance-enhancing stimulant so it’s great to have that winning edge on our side,” the 30-year-old said with a laugh. – AFP, February 2, 2022
