Logan Martin has breezed through BMX freestyle qualifying with the third-best score in a welcome return to form for the reigning Olympic champion.
Australia's only cycling gold medallist at the Tokyo Games averaged 89.39 over his two runs on Tuesday at the Paris skate park.
Compatriot Natalya Diehm is also through to Wednesday's medal round with the eighth-best score and is brimming with confidence.
"I'm pretty happy with the way I rode ... this day always, I probably have more nerves, because you don't really get that safety run," Martin said
"It definitely helps with the confidence.
"I probably had a rough couple of months, leading in, but I'm healthy and good to go now.
"The good thing for me is I'm going into tomorrow with an Olympic gold medal - I'm the only guy here with one. It's probably a little bit of an advantage."
The open-air stadium was brutally hot, but Martin and Diehm agreed the conditions were no problem for them.
"It is very hot - I keep saying, the Australians do have the advantage here today.
"It is definitely difficult, but we can push through it."
Martin, who dominated freestyle's Olympic debut in Tokyo, has had a tougher buildup to Paris.
He failed to reach the final in the second of the two qualifier events, but that did not affect his Olympic selection.
A week ago, he had personal items stolen when thieves broke into a van in Brussels, where Martin was finalising his Games preparation.
While he was grateful his bikes weren't in the van, Martin called it a "crazy" start to his Games.
Only British rider Kieran Reilly (91.21) and American Marcus Christopher (89.48) scored higher than Martin.
French star Anthony Jeanjean, the in-form rider coming into the Olympics, was fifth-best among the nine finalists.
Diehm, who has endured five reconstructions on her right knee, improved in her second run and averaged 83.89.
American Tokyo silver medallist Hannah Roberts topped qualifying on 91.45.
"I'm very happy, very relieved - stoked I was able to pull two runs together," Diehm said.
"We all had the same idea today to play it a little bit safer today ... the second run (on Wednesday) you go all-out and hope to God you're going to land it."
Unlike qualifying, where the average from the two runs decided each rider's ranking, the final is decided by the better of the two scores.
