The 36-year-old was resting at home, phones off, with a ticket to fly and see her boyfriend in California when news came through that Juliana Felisberta da Silva was pulling out of the Games with a knee injury.

When her sister saw the news on television and ran to tell her she had to go to China, Ana Paula presumed it was an invitation to commentate on television.

"I was in shock...I said 'No, no, I'm not going' because they all knew I was going to L.A.," the three-time Olympian said.

"Then it was just chaos to get everything ready. I had five hours before my flight, my son was crying his lungs out saying 'Don't go, Mummy'."