Penny Heyns admits she was unprepared for her first Olympics, in Barcelona in 1992 - not only because she was homesick and had just discovered Nutella.

"Literally everything and anything is for free, 24/7, and therein lies the rub," the former Olympic gold medallist, who is now 41, said."If you are not prepared for that, then you get a bit carried away," said Heyns, who was only 17 when she went to Spain. She won two gold medals in Atlanta in 1996 and a bronze in Sydney in 2000.Heyns had some advice for first-time Olympians. "If you are a swimmer or one of the other sporting codes competing on day one or two, then, as much as it sucks, don't go to the opening ceremony," she said.story_article_left1"You stand on your feet and you're probably going to be there until midnight, depending on where the accommodation is in relation to the stadium." In Barcelona, she attended the opening ceremony - and only arrived back in her room in the early hours of the morning.Hezekiel Sepeng, who won silver in the 800m in the 1996 games and is now a co-ordinator for Athletics SA, urged the athletes to be competitive from the get-go.Despite being advised to use his first Olympics "for experience", Sepeng won a medal. "Do not wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow might never come."He also warned first-timers to stay away from the temptation to overindulge on the free McDonald's, ice cream and cooldrink from vending machines all over the village."If you don't look after yourself, you will pick up weight before you even compete, because life is good inside there," he said.Another form of indulgence is the huge amount of sex that is rumoured to take place in the Olympic village during the two-week competition.This year, the International Olympic Committee has provided 450,000 condoms for athletes, including 100,000 female condoms.Sepeng, 42, said that at the three Olympics he attended, he had noticed condoms "moving around a lot"."You are living in another world and there are people from different countries. Some have relationships there ... I believe what the people are saying."But long-jumper Khotso Mokoena, who will be participating in his fourth Olympics this year, will not be taking advantage of the free condoms.mini_story_image_hright1The 31-year-old believes that "sex transmutation" - denying the body carnal pleasures for months at a time - is one of the secrets to maintaining focus and staying on top."If you abstain ... then you focus that energy into achieving something," he said.Mokoena, who won a silver medal in Beijing, said many people did not understand why sportsmen abstained from sex."Even before I go for an important business meeting, if I know, say, next week, I have to put my energy into that, then I 'sex transmutate' so that when I get there, I'm actually at my clearest," the long-jumper said.He added that "topping it up with meditation" could increase the benefits of abstinence.Phathokuhle Zondi, a doctor for Team SA in 2012, said that while some advised abstinence for athletes, "that is not a limitation that we put on our athletes in this day and age".When the principles of high performance were still being developed, there may have been a notion that having sex was distracting for athletes, the doctor said...