New Zealand's men's eight rowers have put themselves in a Level 3-type bubble, as they count down to a do-or-die situation to make the Olympics.
They have less than a month until their fate is decided in Lucerne, Switzerland, at the World Rowing Cup, where they need to a top-two finish to book a spot in Tokyo.
It is their one and only chance to qualify, and they are taking every precaution they can, even cutting themselves off from the outside world.
"They're definitely starting to bubble up to just make sure even like little sicknesses...you don't want colds running through the team at the moment," fellow Kiwi rower Grace Prendergast said.
Other crews will soon starting taking their own measures, even while training, to guard against infection.
"Everyone else wears masks 24/7 sort of thing so they're very used to it, so we will have to start quite early getting used to that," Kerri Gowler said.
For the eight, Covid-aside, everything has to go right for them in the next month.
The whole situation is a unique prospect for two-time Olympic champion Hamish Bond.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think this group could go to the Olympics and win a medal and that's certainly our goal," he told 1 NEWS.
A goal that needs a near-perfect four months on and off the water.
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