It's just seven days until the Paralympics gets underway and two Kiwi athletes have had a last-minute call up.
Every minute spent on the water for Scott Martlew is more crucial than ever.
With just over one week's until the Paralympics kick-off, Martlew is thankful missing out on the initial selection hasn't set him back.
"I've kept training all the way through and sort of had that hope there that it could happen," he said.
The Para-canoeist, along with Tauranga para-cyclist Fraser Sharp, have been rushed into the New Zealand team of 31 for Rio next week receiving the late call 48 hours ago.
"I'm really excited to get over there, I can't believe it's actually happening no," he says.
"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster journey that I've been on."
When the International Paralympic Committee put a blanket ban on the Russian team over a state-sponsored doping program, 266 spots became available.
"Clearly disappointing for them, but I understand the decision and I support it," said Paralympics chairman Selwyn Maister.
"There will clearly be some athletes among those Russians who will be clean, but they may be the best advocates for cleaning up Russian sport in the future."
With just a week to get to Rio, Martlew's now scrambling to organise flights and get his kayak sent from Germany to South America.
"Yeah there's a lot of logistics right now behind the scenes. There are a lot of people moving mountains to make things happen."
And with the biggest competition of his career now in front of him, he's ready to make waves in Rio.
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