Rising Aussie Sevens star Emma Sykes has been inundated with messages of support as the Australians prepare for their tilt at Commonwealth Games gold on the Sunshine Coast.
Sykes is a home town hero on the Sunshine Coast and as the Australians escape the madness of the Commonwealth Games athlete's village by doing the vast majority of their preparation at Sunshine Coast Stadium, the 19-year-old has been overwhelmed by the level of support.
"I do look back on all the times that I've come here and played games and in a way I never thought I would be back here, prepping for a Commonwealth Games," Sykes told reporters on Friday.
"To be able to come back here and do that in my home town is pretty amazing.
"All the people that have wished me luck and congratulations and all that - I haven't been able to get back to everybody because there's been so many messages."
The Aussies took part in the opening ceremony, an experience Sykes described as "epic", but won't return to the Gold Coast until Wednesday.
With their pool matches still a week away, escaping the hype of the village has been a timely change of pace.
"When we got told we were coming up here to prep for the Commonwealth Games, it was pretty cool," Sykes said.
"Especially just getting out of that village environment with all the hype now the Games have started.
"To come up here, relax a bit and get out to the footy field where I grew up playing all my touch football is pretty cool."
As the clock ticks down to their tournament opener, Sykes said there are several contenders for the gold medal outside of fierce rivals New Zealand.
"They're going to be good contenders for the gold medal but every game we play at the Commonwealth Games we are going to treat it like a final," she said.
"We're going to go out there and give it our all because we can't lose any games."
The Commonwealth Games Sevens tournament kicks off on Friday April 13, running until Sunday April 15.
