Australian bikini girls set for cover-up

Australia's beach volleyball stars may opt for leggings and long sleeves instead of their trademark skimpy bikinis to guard against the London Olympic chill.

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Although daytime temperatures are expected to reach the high 20s when the Games get under way, it will be decidedly cooler when the last matches finish just before midnight.

"We have some late-night games and it not always very warm so we will definitely be wearing it (the cold weather uniform)," said Tamsin Hinchley, who will team with Natalie Cook.

"We play in cold-weather gear on the world tour and we are used to wearing it so when it is cold we will be wearing it.

"We are the sport that wears the bikinis, but we are there for the physical part of the game and we need it to keep our muscles warm because it is an extremely strenuous sport."

The beach volleyball tournament will be staged at Horse Guards Parade in central London, within walking distance of Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament.

"The location is very iconic and you can see Downing Street and the London Eye in the background," said Cook.

"There are 15,000 seats and it is our biggest stadium ever. In Atlanta we were out in the car parks and then we played at the iconic Bondi Beach in Sydney.

"In Athens we were by the ocean and now we are at the foot of Buckingham Palace. It is one of the best venues we have played in."