Seebohm does own thing before Pan Pacs
EMILY Seebohm has opted to meet the rest of the Australian team in Japan for the Pan Pacific Championships following her split with partner and fellow swimmer Mitch Larkin.
Reports surfaced at the weekend that Seebohm was told not to go to the training camp with the rest of the Australians in Cairns – something subsequently denied by Swimming Australia. According to SA, Seebohm chose to go into the camp late before heading back to Brisbane.
News Corp Australia reported Seebohm would complete her preparation there before heading to Japan. She had reportedly met team officials in Cairns before heading back to the Queensland capital.
Swimming Australia chief executive Leigh Russell said Seebohm had been welcomed into the Cairns camp and had been well catered for, stating: “At no stage did any representative from Swimming Australia say to Emily ‘to stay away’ from the Cairns camp.
“To the contrary, every effort has been made to support Emily and she was consulted as to what were the best options for her performance preparation.
“She made the decision to come in to camp later, choosing to prepare with her home coach David Lush, a decision we fully supported. When she arrived she was assigned to a team coach – not Mitch Larkin’s coach as reported.”
Seebohm will rejoin the team in Tokyo before the meet begins on August 9, with her first race the following day in the 100m backstroke.
She had been in a long relationship with Larkin, with the split playing out in the media.
AT NO STAGE DID ANY REPRESENTATIVE FROM SWIMMING AUSTRALIA SAY TO EMILY ‘TO STAY AWAY’ FROM THE CAIRNS CAMP. SWIMMING AUSTRALIA CEO LEIGH RUSSELL