AUSSIE SWIMMING FEELS FOR OVERSEAS RIVALS
AUSTRALIA’S head swimming coach Jacco Verhaeren knows first hand that this year’s Tokyo Olympics will not be swum “on a level playing field” and has sent an impassioned and unprecedented message to the world expressing his concerns.
Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and now the US state of California are all in lockdown under the scourge of COVID-19.
Verhaeren has led Swimming Australia’s heartfelt message to his international colleagues that an Olympics at the moment would not be fair and revealed he has spoken to colleagues around the world.
“Of course for me it’s easy to make contacts with a lot of people and a lot of people are making contact with me, particularly from Europe and definitely as an organisation we have been in contact with the US as well,” he said.
While most of Australia’s aquatic centres and major swimming pools – especially on the Gold Coast – are open to high-performance squads, European and US athletes are now locked in their homes unable to live normal lives, let alone train.
High-performance pools on the Gold Coast – at Bond and Griffith universities, The Southport School, Gold Coast Aquatic Centre and Somerset College – are home to more than 25 Olympic hopefuls.
All are in full swing after posting outstanding results at last week’s NSW titles.
Verhaeren, who lives on the Gold Coast with his family, feels for his international counterparts and Australia’s elite swimmers feel the same way.