Track ace on the run from Covid-19

HIGH up in the Swiss Alps three Australians are quietly going about their roles in the most important operation launched by the Australian track and field team.

They have virtually no contact with the outside world, meticulously planning every outing to ensure the risks are minimal of Covid catching up to them and bringing down Stewart McSweyn, Australia‘s best medal chance on the track at Tokyo.

The mastermind behind Operation Keep Stewy Safe is Nic Bideau, who was integral in guiding Cathy Freeman to Olympic gold and now looks after Australia‘s distance running prospects.

McSweyn, 26, is at the top of the list, with the 1500m star coming into his first Olympic Games ranked No.4 in the world.

For the past 12 months Bideau has planned for this moment, the crucial final phase of the preparation where the risk of contracting the disease is heightened.

McSweyn, Bideau and Dave McNeill, who will race in the 5000m at Tokyo, have been living in an apartment in St Moritz, the Alpine resort famous for hosting two Winter Olympics, for the past couple of months.

It is perfect for training being at altitude (1800m above sea level) with less than 5000 residents and most importantly it‘s Covid-free.

“There is no Covid here, noone here has ever had it,” Bideau explains. “It is a safe environment with clean mountain air and it’s pretty isolated, there aren’t many people here.”

Being anti-social is also part of the precautions, which the trio have become accustomed to doing.

“It is triple the amount of work for a normal preparation because you just have to come up with extra things as it is always in the back of your mind,” Bideau says.

McSweyn‘s Olympic campaign starts with the heats of the 1500m on August 3.