Competing in the Olympics isn't the only way Canberrans are making their city and country proud in Rio de Janeiro.
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Kirstie McMillan, samba instructor at Kingston's Subsdance Dance Studio, will be the first Australian to compete at the World Samba Congress in Brazil in February.
Becoming the national samba queen has been a surreal journey for the 27-year-old, who has only been dancing the Brazilian style for four years.
During that time she's gone from never stepping foot in a samba dance shoe to becoming "obsessed" with the culture, learning the language and playing Brazilian percussion.
"It's a bit of an addiction really," Ms McMillan said.
"I went to Brazil four years ago for the first time and started samba at the time, but I just fell in love with the passion that they have for their culture and how much history and religion is behind it."
People who see Ms McMillan move are surprised to learn she isn't from the south American country, especially the Brazilian competitors and judges at the recent Australasian Brazilian Samba Queen Competition in Queensland, which she won.
The title won her a Brazilian-made crown and costume worth more than $1000, free return flights to Rio for the World Samba Congress in February and the chance to take part in workshops run by some of the world's best samba choreographers, including award-winning dancer Carlinhos Salgueiro.
Subsdance director Kate Ticehurst said she knew Ms McMillan was a natural samba star from the moment she saw her dance.
"When Kirstie first came she auditioned for our professional group without even knowing the first step of the dance and she absolutely nailed it because of her pizzazz and enthusiasm," she said.
While Ms Ticehurst usually choreographs Ms Mcillan's routines, much of the judging for the World Samba Congress will come down to her freestyle ability.
"This competition [Australasian Brazilian Samba Queen Competition] was very authentic in the way that you actually have to dance to live drums so Kirstie had to get out there and freestyle what she was doing to the drums to win," she said.
"It was the first competition of its type in Australia where you have to really listen to the instruments and rhythm to make it up and it will be the same in Rio."
