Soul of a sprinter, speed of a sloth — an Olympic hopeful you are not.

Your hosting skills, however, prove pedestalworthy. Ahead of Friday’s opening ceremonies, we teamed up with gold-medal mixologist Jackson Cannon (The Hawthorne, Eastern Standard) for two cocktails: Air Mail, an ode to the U.S. men’s basketball team; and London Fog Cutter, in honor of the host city.

Late-night balance beam maneuvers strongly discouraged.

Air Mail
Serves one

¾ oz. Banks rum
¾ oz. lime juice
¾ oz. honey
Dash of Angostura bitters
Splash of champagne

1. Shake rum, lime juice, honey, and bitters over ice. Strain into a flute.

2. Top with champagne.

London Fog Cutter
Serves one

1½ oz. rum
½ oz. London dry gin
½ oz. brandy
½ oz. orange juice
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. orgeat syrup
Half a lime

1. Mix all ingredients with a swizzle stick.

2. Serve on the rocks in a mug with a lime boat (lime turned inside out and filled with gin).

Or try internationally inspired cocktails throughout the Olympic Games at The Hawthorne, 500a Commonwealth Avenue (617-532-9150 or thehawthornebar.com).

Photo: Mike Hewitt / Getty Images