Jerga, who will work at the Aquatic Center, or Water Cube, said he most wanted to interview Australian female swimming star Stephanie Rice.

"I will ask her if she is more nervous competing herself or watching her boyfriend compete." Her boyfriend is Eamon Sullivan, a 50-meter freestyle record-breaker.

Picked through tests and interviews in their home countries, the ONS volunteers will receive two days of training organized by ONS headquarters starting on July 15.

They will get on-site training with Chinese volunteers at venues until August 8, when the Games are due to open.

Newcastle senior Abbey Wright said she expected to see big crowds here and was trying to learn some Chinese. "I can say hello, thanks, good-bye and where's the toilet now."

Jerga said he tried to keep an open mind when coming to Beijing from winter-time Australia and was comfortable with the hot, humid weather here.

"Beijing is absolutely lovely! Everyone seems so friendly, polite and warm, always smiling," he said. "Some have said the pollution is really bad. I don't think it is that bad. I can't complain at all."

Beijing is to host about 100,000 volunteers during the Olympics and Paralympics. More than 1.12 million applied for volunteer posts, of whom  22,000 were foreigners.