Rio Olympics Lessons Learned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHyRCeKxhss

Extraordinary and Exceptional

Absence of normal and the presence of abnormal.

Prepare to make the most of the event so the event does not make the most of your athlete.

The biggest event in the world is an unrelenting, unforgiving environment where any flaws in your preparation are

exposed in the spotlight in the Olympic flame.

If you haven’t been invincible in your preparation, if it hasn’t been above the demands of your Olympic Race, failure is

guaranteed.

It is not like any other event. It is not a stepping stone, it is the end of the line, the Pinnacle!

There is no other arena where physical or mental weaknesses will be exposed like they are in the Olympic environment.

Philosophy • Simplicity- Improve Trials Performances

• Understand projected Semi Final/Final/Medal Standard

• Build Resilience / Robust Athletes

The Olympics

• Dormitory style accommodation

• Canteen style food

• Uncomfortable beds

• Communal living

• Lots of walking

The Olympics

• ExpectationMedia

AOC

Sports Commission

Swimming Australia

Friends

Coach Family/ Relatives

Australian Swimming Team

Lessons Learned

• -Pre Trials competition schedule very good

• -Q/Vic/BHP/NSW

• -Post trials competition schedule inadequate

• -1 Grand Prix

• -Santa Clara Meet option

Lessons Learned

• -USA Olympic Swimming Team

• -Trials 5 weeks out

• -High pressure situation

• -2008 Mens 200 IM Phelps/ Lochte

• -2016 Mens 100 Back Murphy/Plummer/Greavers (52 misses the team)

• -USA Swimmers coming into the Olympics are more race hardened

“Fill The Gaps”

• -Targeted racing Japan/China

• -Collaboration within high performance squads

• -Both in training situation and staging camp

• -How do our swimmers respond under duress in a training session (daily,weekly,monthly) ?

• -Hoping to perform, rather than preparing to perform

2015

Kazan

Gold

2016 Rio Gold

50 Free Manadu Irvin (Lost swim

off 2015-9th)

100

FreeZetao

Chalmers (relay

only swimmer)

200

FreeGuy

Sunyang (Silver

Kazan)

400

FreeSunyang

Horton (11th

Kazan)

1500

FreePaltrinieri Paltrinieri

Mens

2015

Kazan

Gold

2016 Rio

Gold

100

BackLarkin

Murphy

(Did not

qualify)

200

Back Larkin

Murphy

(5th Kazan)

100

BreastPeaty Peaty

200

BreastKoch

Balinden

(5th Kazan)

Mens

2015

Kazan

Gold

2016 Rio Gold

100 Fly Le ClosSchooling (3rd

in Kazan)

200 Fly CsehPhelps (Did not

compete)

200 IM LochtePhelps (Did not

compete)

400 IM SetoHagino (Did not

compete)

Mens

2015 Kazan

Gold2016 Rio Gold

50

FreeB Campbell

Blume (13th

Kazan)

100

FreeB Campbell

Oleksiak (did not

compete Kazan)

Manuel (6th

Kazan)

200

FreeLedecky Ledecky

400

FreeLedecky Ledecky

800

FreeLedecky Ledecky

Womens

2015

Kazan

Gold

2016 Rio

Gold

100

BackSeebohm

Hosszu

(did not

compete)

200

BackSeebohm

Dirado

(did not

compete

100

BreastEfimova

King (did

not

compete)

200

BreastWatanabe

Kanetou

(6th

Kazan)

Womens

2015 Kazan

Gold

2016 Rio

Gold

100 Fly Sjostrom Sjostrom

200 Fly Hoshi

Belmonte

(did not

compete)

200 IM Hosszu Hosszu

400 Im Hosszu Hosszu

Thank you