AN ATHLETICS club is getting into Olympic fever with the Rio 2016 games fast approaching.

With the opening ceremony tonight, elite athletes at Oxford City AC got into the spirit of the games at their base in Horspath Sports Ground in Oxford Road yesterday.

Coach Marcia Marriott said everyone was excited for the games to start.

Born in Botley, Ms Marriott used to be a heptathlete before going into coaching her talented and highly-promising young athletes.

She added: "I think it is in everyone's dreams to be able to compete in an Olympics.

"We all have to have dreams and we all have something to aim for. It's my aim to squeeze every bit of potential out of my athletes who are very talented."

The volunteer coach said she though the atmosphere would be "electric" in Rio, but added London 2012 left a "great legacy".

She added the club was always looking for more coaches to get involved to help train the many juniors signing up.