Cochrane aiming high as Rio approaches
End sought for swimming slump
TORONTO The last Canadian swimmer to win gold at the Olympics wants the drought to end.
“Sadly, it still hasn’t happened, but there have been some close calls,” said Mark Tewksbury, who won the coveted medal in the 100-metre backstroke at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. “But I think there’s some incredible momentum.”
Tewksbury, a three-time Olympic medallist, knows a thing or two about momentum, namely how it can ground to a halt, as was the case two summer Olympic cycles before London 2012, where the 48-year-old Calgary native served as Canada’s chef de mission.
Athens 2004 was essentially a disaster, with Canada coming away with just 12 medals total, zero in the pool.
“I think that was really rock bottom,” Tewksbury said.
“I can remember I was doing some commentary work and I kept focusing on personal bests, but there was really nothing very little in the way of positives to draw on at the time.”
The cycle is said to be on the upswing.
If 2012 was considered somewhat of a rebuilding period for the nation’s swimming program, a continuation of that is expected in Rio this summer, where expectations are steeper, though certainly not sky-high. Tewksbury said the current program features more depth, with more athletes capable of success in numerous events.
Two-time Olympic medallist Ryan Cochrane, who is competing at this week’s Olympic trials in Scarborough, Ont., is expected to push for one final podium finish in his 1,500- and 400-metre freestyle races. There also are a crop of youngsters who could break through. A strong contingent on the women’s side is led by Toronto native and Rio qualifier Brittany MacLean, while former U.S. competitor Santo Condorelli looks set to take over for 2012 Olympic bronze medallist and short-distance specialist Brent Hayden, who has since retired.
“I think we’re all tired of it being said it was a building year,” said Victoria’s Cochrane, who on Thursday met the Olympic qualifying standard in the 400m and races his 1,500m prelim on Saturday. “We want to win now and I think we have multiple chances.”
As for who Tewksbury sees as being the most likely to supersede him as Canada’s Olympic golden athlete in the water? He wasn’t about to put any added pressure on any one particular swimmer, but he did leave a clue.
“It would be tremendous to see someone end his career on a podium,” Tewksbury said. At age 27, Cochrane fits that bill.
The bird’s the word: Raising an index finger above one’s head is a universal way of suggesting “No. 1.” Throwing up a middle finger has a universal meaning, too. Santo Condorelli hopes to do both this summer.
In a father-son motivational exercise that can only be described as interesting, Santo stands on the starting block before his race, looks for his dad, Joseph, in the stands and they give each other the rude-finger salute.
It’s an eyebrow-raising interaction that began several years ago as a way for the younger Condorelli to deal with feeling intimidated. Considering it’s an optics nightmare, he has since modified his move.