Team GB's Keri-Anne Payne is relishing the opportunity to compete for Olympic gold in the women's 10km open-water race.
The Stockport ITC swimmer, who earned silver in Beijing four years ago, said that she is eager to swim in the "iconic" Serpentine river again having trained there this week.
"It's such an iconic stretch of water and I was really excited to be the first to swim there," The Mirror quotes Payne as saying.
"There were lots of very excited volunteers who were very helpful to me, and the water temperature was about 21 degrees, which is really nice.
"I had to fight my way through a couple of ducks and swim through some reeds, and got a bit tangled up, but I managed to overcome it - and don't worry, I've had to swim though things much, much worse than reeds and ducks."
Payne, who was the first British athlete to qualify for London 2012, will take part in the 10km event on August 9.
Mark Langshaw
