Swimmer Eric Shanteau has a completely different slant on his own Olympic ambitions as he takes to the blocks in Beijing today - just two months after discovering he had cancer.

The US athlete learned he had testicular cancer in June, a week before the US Olympic trials, and showed immense character to gain second place in the 200m breaststroke and qualify at the expense of 2005 world champion Brendan Hansen.

United States Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau takes questions about his recent discovery of testicular cancer as members of the team take questions during a press conference at the main press center on August 6, 2008 as the team talks to the media before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. [Agencies]

But the joy he should have felt four years after failing to qualify for the Athens Games was tempered by an issue of much greater bearing. "What I show to the general public is obviously the positive side but I am human and this has been a roller-coaster ride. This isn't flu, this is cancer," Shanteau told a recent news conference.

The 24-year-old swimmer from the state of Georgia was told the disease was treatable and decided to put off surgery to compete in Beijing.

"How do I keep focused? It's been pretty easy actually," Shanteau said.

"A lot of times you can get to events like this, like the Olympic Games, and you can put maybe too much pressure on yourself and I've kind of got an out with cancer in that cancer's put things in perspective for me.

"There's a lot more to life than the Olympic Games and I think having learned that lesson really quickly has kind of helped keep this whole thing in perspective for me."

His diagnosis also marked an odious bond between Shanteau and his father, who has been having treatment for lung cancer since July last year.

"He's hanging in there," Shanteau recently told USA Today of his dad, who is well enough to be poolside in Beijing. "He has been responding very well to the treatments. "It's one of those things that we can relate to each other on. No father and son wants to have that, but I understand a lot more now and a lot better what he has been going through."

Shanteau has also derived inspiration from fellow American Lance Armstrong, seven-times winner of cycling's Tour de France, who also fought cancer.

"He's the guy that I looked to before I even came down with the diagnosis. What he did after he was diagnosed and being treated for it, you can't help being inspired by that," he said. "And also to know that I will be cured and I will beat this is a pretty inspiring thought too, and it's not going to control my life."

Shanteau said he had received tremendous support from the swimmers and coaches in the US team, who had made it that much easier by taking him under their wings.

"They help me through the down days. It (cancer) is on my mind constantly, I can't help that, that's how it's got to be," he said. "But with the support I have, the people I have in my corner, they're the ones who help me through it."

His teammate Michael Phelps, bidding to match or beat Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at a single Games, said all the American swimmers were helping each other.

"I lost my grandmother to cancer," Phelps said. "I know it's not an easy battle.

"I know his (Shanteau's) goal was to swim in the Olympic Games. He's doing that, he's excited, he's positive ... We're all supporting each other in everything we do."

Aaron Peirsol, who will defend his Olympic 100 and 200m backstroke crowns, said Shanteau had been an inspiration.

"The way he's handled it has put everything else in perspective for all of us," Peirsol said.