AUS - 'Oldie' Snell

LONDON (Olympics) - No matter what happens at the London Games for the Australian women's basketball team, one thing is certain.

Nothing will ever take the shine off the tremendous careers of the Opals veterans in the squad.

Australia's finest hour in international basketball came in 2006 when the women's side captured the gold medal at the World Championship in Brazil.

Belinda Snell, a sharpshooting guard, was an important member of that Opals team and continues to be.

Snell shot 45.5% (15 of 33) from behind the arc in that tournament.

Her greatest contribution came in the Semi-Finals, when she ignited a second-half comeback against hosts Brazil and fired the Aussies to an 88-76 victory.

The 31-year-old guard is about to make her third appearance at an Olympic Games.

With that in mind, she says her role has changed.

"I'm more of an oldie on the team, so it's a lot different," she says.

"I'm just trying to help the young girls in preparation for their first Olympics and letting them know some of my past experiences from past Olympics and what the do's and things not to do in the (Olympic) Village."

Snell, who has played professionally in Australia, Europe and the United States, treasures her status as an Olympian.

"It's a huge honor," she says.

"I still remember the first time I ran out in Athens (2004) for my first game at the Olympics; the whole emotion and running out and representing your country for the first time in an Olympics.

"I remember the Men at Work song 'I come from the land down under' was playing as we ran out to the court.

"That whole warm-up was pretty much a blur to me, I was so emotional.

"It's a huge honor and it's something you remember for the rest of your life."

FIBA