Bohl: Pan Pacs a ‘bonus’

BREASTSTROKER Georgia Bohl says returning from injury to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games will be the highlight of her year regardless of whether she makes Australia’s team for the Pan Pacific championships or not.

Bohl rebounded from a knee injury that ruined her 2017 campaign to finish with bronze in the 100m breaststroke at the Games, an event just a few kilometres from the Gold Coast base she relocated to last year with her family and father Michael, the head coach at Griffith University.

While her time 7.22sec was slightly of 1min outside what she will need to produce in Adelaide over the next week to qualify for the Pan Pacs in Tokyo, Bohl was grateful just to be back in the pool.

“I think (Commonwealth Games) was the highlight for me this year, if I make the Pan Pacs team, it’s an added bonus,” she said.

“I was very unsure about where I was (after the injury) and I think I lost a lot of confidence over that last year.

“To be able to work my way back and not get down to my best time but (win a medal) is something I’m really proud of.”

As the best-placed Aussie in the 100m breaststroke final, Bohl also won a place in the medley relay team that sealed Commonwealth Games gold.

And while she’d love to hold that spot for a Pan Pacs set to be held in the 2020 Olympic city in August, she has not heaped pressure on herself.

“It’s a bit bittersweet when you’re No. 1 because you only have one place to go and that’s down,” Bohl said.

“You can hold it but everyone’s chasing after you.

“So that’s a little bit challenging but at the same time it’s motivating because you know that everyone wants your spot. It would be amazing to make this team but I’m not going to put all my eggs in one basket and focus on Pan Pacs.

“If I’m not to make this team, obviously I would be very disappointed but I can get back into training and get that consistency – obviously I missed a lot with my knee injury the year before.

“My time wasn’t as good at the Comm Games, so I’m not back to my best yet and if I get more training that would help with my results in the future.”

While she wouldn’t have chosen to be injured, Bohl said it had taught her plenty.

“It’s taught me a lot of patience because I had to step away for pretty much a year,” she said.

“It’s very challenging when you’re injured or sick to just calm down and let things re- solve but that’s all you can really do at that point.

“If you make it worse, then it’s only going to make for a longer recovery.

“It’s definitely a blessing. “It also teaches you a lot about all the things that make you, not only a good swimmer but a good person in life – to be resilient and be patient and trust the process.

“If you always win, you don’t learn as much as when you lose and you don’t go the way you want to.

“And the thing I like about myself, is I like that I cannot always have the results I want but it motivates me.”

The Pan Pac trials will be held in Adelaide from June 30July 4.