Langrell pulled out PBs at big events
The South Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year award turned 50 this year. Over the past five decades there have been 35 different winners from 20 different sports. In 1989 young swimmer Phillippa Langrell, who went on to compete against the world’s best,
The dedicated Phillippa Langrell is one Kiwi sportswoman who was a touch unlucky when it came to the big international events.
Swimmer Langrell was ranked as high as eighth in the world on her long-course 800 metre freestyle times in 1992.
However, she punched above her weight with her determination and came within metres of winning bronze medals at Commonwealth and Olympic Games three times.
Langrell was fourth in the 800m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990.
Two years later at the Barcelona Olympics she again had to settle for fourth.
At the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, the bronze medal again eluded her when she finished fourth, 2.65sec behind Canadian Nicki Dryden.
The 43-year-old Langrell does, however, have a sense of humour looking back, as well as candid honesty.
‘‘That makes depressing reading,’’ she said.
‘‘Auckland Commonwealth Games and Barcelona Olympics I swam personal best times and was beaten by faster swimmers on the day. That’s just life.
‘‘The really disappointing meet was the 1994 Commonwealth Games where I was probably under prepared racing wise, and didn’t perform anywhere near to my ability.’’
Langrell said fourth place at the Olympics was bittersweet.
‘‘Although I would have been ecstatic if I had won a medal, in some ways it was easier in that it wasn’t particularly close for the bronze.
‘‘It was much closer for fourth to sixth placings though, and I can’t be disappointed having come into the Olympics ranked eighth or so and ending up fourth.
‘‘On top of that, I swam personal best times in all three of the events I swam, so in that respect I did my best performances at the Olympics, when traditionally over 80 per cent of athletes do not.’’
Langrell was almost born to swim, first hitting the water at three in Christchurch.
‘‘I started training at five or six with Lois Fraser and then later with Paul Jones, both at Century Pool.’’
She was first selected for a New Zealand age-group team as a 10-year-old and broke into the senior ranks at 16.
Langrell went on to compete for six years at the senior level and was not sure how many age-group titles she accumulated but her senior tally was close to 40.
She grew up on a farm near Rangitata, which often meant travelling twice a day to Timaru.
‘‘My long suffering mother would get up at 4.30am to drive me, on top of looking after four other children and being on a farm.’’
At 13 Langrell went to boarding school in Christchurch to allow her the extra hours in the pool required to get to the next level.
Langrell said she was not 100 per cent which achievement saw her take out the ‘Sportsperson of the Year’’ award.’
‘‘I’m not sure but I suspect it may have been breaking my first two senior New Zealand records – the 200m butterfly and 800m freestyle.’’
As for time in the pool, Langrell described it as ‘‘intense, fun, gruelling, at times exhilarating, solitary, but imbued with a sense of pride and personal achievement’’.
Langrell said her success came through her family’s support.
‘‘Mum and Dad both worked incredibly hard to support me in every way and I was extremely lucky in that regard.’’
Her mother, Averil, now lives in Geraldine, while father George passed away 1993.
‘‘My sisters for putting up with me. My coaches right from when I was very young – Lois Fraser and Paul Jones and then later in Christchurch.’’
‘‘I briefly swam with Clive Power before Rainer Goltzsche took over. He took me from a good age grouper at 13 to an Olympic finalist six years later.’’
‘‘So many people in the community took an interest, sending me letters and cards of support – that’s special when you’re on the other side of the world racing.’’
Langrell also had a special word for Timaru’s ‘Mr Swimming’ Noel Smith.
‘‘Noel was a stalwart of New Zealand swimming for many years, both as an official and selector, was always incredibly supportive of me, from when I was a little dot, right throughout my career.’’
The last time Langrell swam was around six or seven years ago.
‘‘I was coerced into doing the swim leg of a triathlon here in Rotorua. The fact I haven’t swum again since then probably says it all.
‘‘The contrast between how I used to feel in the water and how I feel now is pretty stark, so these days I prefer to keep fit by running in the forest with my dog.’’
Langrell said an undoubted highlight was representing New Zealand in the 800m freestyle final in Barcelona.
‘‘It had been my dream since I was four years old watching the Montreal Games on TV.’’
Other highlights were her World Cup wins in the 400m and 800m freestyle in Paris in 1992 and a silver medal in the 1500m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Games in 1991.
‘‘I’m also proud my New Zealand distance freestyle records lasted for 20 years before Lauren Boyle came along, and took them to a whole new level.’’
Langrell said she was also fortunate to make lifetime friends when swimming.
After retiring from swimming Langrell was part of the inaugural class to graduate from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic in Auckland, having earlier completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Canterbury, majoring in psychology.
She has been a practicing chiropractic since 1999 with a specialised approach called Network Spinal Analysis, mainly in Rotorua.
Langrell and her husband Ian McAlley have a daughter, Georgie, who is two, with another baby due later in the year, and recently shifted to Cambridge.
The former Olympian said is really looking forward to watching the Rio Games.
‘‘I will be glued to the TV, cheering on all of our athletes. It’s easy these days to be cynical, but beyond the commercialism, the politics and the drugs, it’s still a very special three weeks, where individuals step up with courage to represent their country and compete against the world’s best.’’