“It’s a wonderful place. Management has allowed the simultaneous use of the indoor and outdoor pools as requested,” Australian Swimming Team Head Coach Rohan Taylor said.
After two weeks in Chartres, Australia’s selection flies to Birmingham tomorrow for the Commonwealth Games, which begin on Thursday. “Everyone appreciated the infrastructure. It’s a great place for swimmers,” the coach continued. “It’s a lot of positives at a key moment in our season between the World Championships in Budapest and the next one in Great Britain. »
A positive assessment is also given to the management of Odissi Campus. “We organized ourselves to make their preparation go as well as possible. We wanted to do things right. It’s not every day you host the second best nation in the world at swimming,” says L’Odyssée’s operations director Rodolphe Boussin. Before their arrival, a new 200m pool near the outdoor Olympic pool. 2 weight room installed.“It is now necessary for the athletes to undergo dry preparation,” notes the director.
On the way to 2024
After a stint in Spain, then Hungary and Slovakia, the team left Australia almost two months ago. “Day by day we are making progress towards our goals for Birmingham. Swimmers gradually set better times as competitions approach. We don’t want to announce the number of medals or the time target. We want and know that everyone will give their best. For this, most swimmers practice twice a day. 7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM.
“Our main competitors for the Commonwealth Games are Great Britain, Canada and South Africa,” notes Rohan Taylor. However, his country is a big favorite in this tournament. Since the last Olympics, the selection has established itself as a major contender for the United States.
“We will return to Paris 2024, where the Frenchman Leon Marchant is eagerly waiting. It is already very interesting. We hope to return in 2023, despite the International Federation program changes and the problem of a competition in Japan. For us, it will become a privileged city ahead of the events in Europe. »
Tourist arrivals
The swimmers and their staff were able to travel to Chartres on several occasions to relieve the pressure. “We were dazzled by the play of lights in the cathedral. Last weekend, many went to Paris,” enthuses the coach of the Dolphins (pseudonym of selection). A group of 36 women and 40 men and 33 employees stayed at the Novotel. “It was very convenient for us, comfortable and close to the pool. . We agreed with the chef on the menu to follow the meal plan for our swimmers,” says the coach of the country that won 20 medals, including nine golds, in the last Olympics. Prior to these, he succeeded Jacco Verhaeren as director of the French swimming teams.
Multiple Medal Winners:
Of the seventy-six Australian swimmers at Chartres, twenty-two won medals at World Championships or Olympic Games.
Emma McKeon, 28, has 11 Olympic medals.
Ariarne Titmus is a double Olympic champion and double world champion.
24-year-old Kyle Chalmers has won 6 Olympic medals, including one gold.
Kayleigh McKeown won three Olympic titles in Tokyo.
Her older sister Taylor McKeown won silver in the relay at the Rio Olympics.
Molly O’Callaghan won two World Championship titles and two Olympic titles.
Thomas Despres
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