00:00:00:00 - 00:01:29:21

Unknown
I think you're right. Cool.

00:01:29:23 - 00:01:56:18
Unknown
Just for position. Yeah. I. Is it working? That's fine. Cool. Perfect.
This is pretty up. So you can see my face on the screen. Yeah. Yeah. I
was just like. All right. It's almost like half our brains. Okay. Yeah.
It looks like a smack bang in the middle at the moment, so that's good.

00:01:56:20 - 00:02:23:04
Unknown
what do you know? You know that these controls doesn't help. So
basically, when I ask questions, it's sort of repeat the question back,
and then that'll be. It's like, how do you say, like, I am 22, right?
Yeah. So you'd be like, I'm 22. That's that's the whole thing. I don't
mind, it's not too bad cause I can probably touch it together.

00:02:23:06 - 00:02:49:10
Unknown
Okay. So I don't go. How old am I? I'm 22. I should just be like. It's
like we're just finding this exact, like. Yeah, I'm 22 years old. Okay.
what's the question with the, I'm gonna go back quite a long time. Okay.
Do you remember when the first item you were sold would be, like,
experiences, learning to swim sort of thing?

00:02:49:12 - 00:03:10:06
Unknown
Learning to swim. I mean, a lot of what I can remember is look it up to
brother and sister. Yeah. They, obviously learned to swim for me. And
throughout my life and throughout my time growing up, with my brother and
sister trying to compete with them. So, learning swim was very much
trying to get through the stages fast and then and be better at it while
I do it.

00:03:10:06 - 00:03:31:20
Unknown
So. Yeah. All right. So you so like being competitive in so many of your
careers? I think so I think that competitive nature sort of goes because
almost all things I do, I think that comes from growing up with, two
older siblings who are quite similar. Okay. Yeah. That's fair. did to how
how quickly did you go through the stages?

00:03:31:20 - 00:03:52:15
Unknown
That one said like super quick. You didn't go most of twice, I can't
remember. I'm really I never really thought about. And then I think I
just one of the maybe I didn't enjoy them or not such a long time ago
now, but I think, did a, the first few, like most people would do and
then, skipped, I don't know, I think I, they might do it differently now.

00:03:52:15 - 00:04:14:09
Unknown
There might be like 8 or 9 stages. I think I skipped, like 3 or 4 of
them. I'm pretty happy at the time I think I was only about five, six,
seven years old. So yeah, that's, that's that's good. That, when you
joined the club, what was really like your first. I was looking for your
really across, like, memories sort of thing.

00:04:14:11 - 00:04:33:21
Unknown
my first memories at Wickham were, coaching sessions short because I
found the two tiring. I think I was, I must have been 7 or 8, and I think
sessions and maybe an hour. An hour and 15. I think I'd only ever do,
like, 40 or 45 minutes. I'd be like I said, I'm too tired of my parents.

00:04:33:21 - 00:04:51:20
Unknown
Blah. He's going go home now. and I'll just say to, I think my coach at
the time was, Maggie. But that was a long time ago. and I was a lot
younger. And she left not long after I joined. So, Yeah, he was just
like, oh, I've grown out of it. I don't think I enjoyed it that much.

00:04:51:22 - 00:05:08:09
Unknown
but like, the longer I spent doing it, the more fun I had and the more
friends I made. All right, so you sort of like you started, you didn't
enjoy to solve it and then sort of build something. So enjoy a bit more.
Yeah, I think it's something I was doing just out of not out of what I
definitely wanted to.

00:05:08:09 - 00:05:26:17
Unknown
I could have easily said to my parents, I want to serve A2 for my older
brothers, some in in the club and my sister, I think so, for a little
bit, but stopped, a lot younger, than my brother or anyone else. and I
think then doing it and then go into training and stuff like that sort of
inspired me too.

00:05:26:18 - 00:05:45:18
Unknown
And then once I got the hang of it and realized, actually, you can swim
for longer than 40 minutes at a time, without dying of exhaustion. I
think I start to really enjoy it a lot more. Oh, right. Okay, so. So you
enjoyed it as soon as you started being being distracted by something?
Yeah, being a bit better on it and being a bit more like, involved
actually in the club.

00:05:45:20 - 00:06:04:06
Unknown
like. No. My place, I get like when it wasn't also new to me and I was
quite comfortable in the environment. I think I was then ready to go.
Yeah, I guess as much as an 8 or 9 year old is ready to go with your head
straight. Council.

00:06:04:08 - 00:06:18:04
Unknown
Can I just ask, is this as the interview actually started, or are you
just chatting a bit? But all right. Okay, cool, cool. I didn't know
whether I was just like, oh, this is the actual thing or. Yeah, I'm gonna
make it like, more fun than just questions. Yeah, yeah. No, that makes
sense. More natural as well, I guess.

00:06:18:07 - 00:06:43:14
Unknown
Yeah. I hope my friend doesn't. Yeah, right. told me a bit about, like,
starting a cat. What was the, I remember I remember vividly Kev joining
because the view, I didn't have him to begin with. I had a coach called
Craig Oliver, who was great. but he was someone for the for some of the
younger, like, less developed.

00:06:43:16 - 00:07:02:01
Unknown
swimmers. So the way we saw, especially in my squad and some of my mates
was, so some big bad boss, it just turned off and I was running the show
overseas or in nice guy. But, from a all perspectives ten Big 1011 I
think maybe I was 11 years old when Kev joined. I can't remember exactly.

00:07:02:03 - 00:07:19:12
Unknown
And I just remember looking him thinking, oh, he's scary. I do not want
to get on the wrong side of him. which thankfully am I in my time, not I,
Wickham. And since leaving Wickham haven't gone is bad so many times,
but, Yeah, that's about to be fair. I asked Craig before he left. I was
in bronze.

00:07:19:18 - 00:07:41:06
Unknown
I had two men in his. Oh, yeah? Yeah. What did you. You enjoy being with
Craig? It was. It was good. Yeah. Me too. So, like, Yeah. Tiny bit I saw
that. Yeah. Similar to me. When, when did you start to catch on? Like, I
must have started with Kev when I was about 14 or 15 years old.

00:07:41:06 - 00:07:57:03
Unknown
Because I think I made nationals for the first time when I was 12, in
2014. So it might have been off of Archie, but still in one of his,
because he, I think he was taking a few squats, say one of the younger
squats like not nowhere near his top scored yet. and that was quite a big
change, I think.

00:07:57:07 - 00:08:13:19
Unknown
And then I felt like I was really in with the big dogs and, which is
cool, but challenging. I mean, everything kind of gets you do is usually
challenging, but obviously in a good way. And so it was it was, yeah,
another new experience. But it's one of the things I loved in swimming,
like those new experiences all the time.

00:08:13:21 - 00:08:45:15
Unknown
All right. So it's challenging but fun as a solo thing. You involved.
Yeah. Fun most of the time. Yeah. Still is most of the time, yes. when,
when did you get to cast also and what was that like? must have moved
into Kiev's top school when I was about, 14 or 15, I think. So he was
already coaching me, obviously, but, it's sort of like when you get to
that top squad all the times you got making training a fast, faster, the
people you swim against are faster.

00:08:45:15 - 00:09:04:06
Unknown
There's a higher expectations of like professionalism and commitment. I
think I must have me when I was 14 or 15 ish when I started, when I'd
given up like the other sports I used to play as well. So I gave up
rugby. I used to do a bit of cross country for school, football quite a
long time ago in basketball, because I love playing those sort of things,
I think.

00:09:04:10 - 00:09:18:13
Unknown
I don't know whether that's just me being competitive, but all this sort
of sports I absolutely loved. so I think when I started to give those up
in swimming was taken over a little bit. I was doing better at swimming
and it was to take it on all my time, which was obviously was my, my own
choice.

00:09:18:15 - 00:09:42:08
Unknown
so, yeah. 1415. That was a big step up. I remember, I think I started
doing 1 or 2 more sessions a week, and as a lot more meters times were
harder, like I said, and kept expecting a lot more from me. But, I like
to think I rose to the challenge, but. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. so you say
you're very sporty with all the sporty.

00:09:42:10 - 00:10:05:04
Unknown
Yeah, I, I think for as long as I can remember, all I want to do is play
sports. I mean, I love playing Xbox games, consoles like gaming, stuff
like that, and other things people my age enjoy doing. But if it came
down to, I don't know, playing on a Xbox, going to the pub, going to
watch a movie, or playing like a fireside game with my mates or kickabout
in the park, go for five a side kick about every time.

00:10:05:06 - 00:10:24:21
Unknown
It's just I just really love doing like going outside. I used to, my mum
used to pretty much drag me in from the garden, for dinner and stuff when
I was younger because I just couldn't get enough of it, stuff. And,
moving up a bit in time when bullies yourself. Last memory of being at
work and in in class.

00:10:24:21 - 00:10:47:14
Unknown
Helpful stuff. So, other than other than getting in trouble on, Sophie's
regional trip and like, one of my last years at Wickham, I think a bit
more memorable. And that was probably, in 2019 at Summer nationals, I,
so, it was a really good week for me. I saw them improving quite a lot
that year and the previous year.

00:10:47:14 - 00:11:07:11
Unknown
I make big jumps, and it came down to the 200 back on the last day. For
some reason, I owed a British meets two bucks always on the last day, and
that was my big one as my main event. And, I managed to win it. at the
end of meets, I became British champion, 17 years old, in the 1718 age
group.

00:11:07:13 - 00:11:24:02
Unknown
and that was like a massive, massive moment for me. I felt like all my
work at Wickham and that I was at home with Kev and all the meters. The
hard work for Thursday mornings, which Wickham Sims will know about. I
know towards that moment and it was I was obviously amazing. And then I
had I said that was my last move because of 17.

00:11:24:02 - 00:11:45:18
Unknown
So I still had another year, probably a week. And and then the plan was
to go into university or whatever that looked like, but then I was cut
short in March of 2020, about a month out from the British Championships.
So, I didn't really get to race properly, like I said, my last year,
which is a massive shame, but I was still happy with everything I'd done
while I was at Wickham.

00:11:45:20 - 00:12:07:04
Unknown
All right. so, like, going back to not being British, something like. How
did that feel when you, when you, like, finish or where you touched the
past, you know, top of the ball tournament. You. Oh that was I mean the
feeling I got when I, when I won that race was just I think I'd like to
think of achieved more since, since I've, since I did die in swimming.

00:12:07:04 - 00:12:27:21
Unknown
But the feeling was just unbelievable. I was ecstatic, and I remember
thinking after that, I think I went home. Still, I'm a medal around my
neck and I was just home, and it meant so much to me because I never won
a national medal. I think the year before I'd only just made my first
national final and I came eighth or ninth, but I was really happy with
that at the time, and just the progress I'd made and see all the hard
work paying off.

00:12:27:21 - 00:12:45:12
Unknown
You know, there is no better feeling than that, but that is only
temporarily temporary. Sorry. I mean, Paul, the great beer being a
weekend was. I enjoy my time when I was there and the training, as hard
as it was. And it was amazing seeing that pay off, because obviously
everyone wants to swim well, everyone wants to win the gold medal.

00:12:45:14 - 00:13:02:22
Unknown
and that was a big deal at the time. But I think since leaving Wickham
and putting things into perspective and seeing my teammates achieve day
in, day out and on, like the international scene is sort of sort of
humbled me a little bit and realized that it wasn't that big of a deal.
But to me, at the time, it was, oh yeah, I was unbelievably proud.

00:13:03:00 - 00:13:21:01
Unknown
But it was a weird feeling as well, because I remember trying to think
about the race afterwards. After I'd of the won a gold medal, I was
really happy and I couldn't remember any of it is sort of like it was
over before I even knew it was going on. which is a bit of a weird
sensation, but yeah, one of the best days of my life now.

00:13:21:02 - 00:13:43:01
Unknown
So is it, when when did you decide you wanted to go to both of us? And,
So it was a weird one, actually. It was quite last minute. I. I always
knew both. Well, I knew both was a great engineering university, which is
what I wanted to study. Great for swimming as well. Whether or not I got
into the, National Center at school back then, but now it's called the
Performance Center.

00:13:43:03 - 00:14:06:17
Unknown
and that wasn't a given, so I didn't know whether I was going to get in
there. And I had I had my other options of university, I think for I
think, yeah, for the universities, which I was fortunate enough to get an
offer from. but it was only really bath or one other. And when Covid hit
and I sort of, I didn't get a chance to the European junior team, and
that was what I was really aiming for in the 2020 year.

00:14:06:19 - 00:14:19:14
Unknown
whether or not I'd made the team, I don't know, I'd like to think I had a
good chance. But you never know. Comes down to the day, and I sort of
felt like I'd been cut short and someone had taken it all away for me.
And in my head, I was thinking, I've got more to give in swimming.

00:14:19:14 - 00:14:42:14
Unknown
And I really enjoy it. And I want to prove myself to myself and to other
people, like what I can do, what I can achieve and like, apply myself in
the pool where I can take me. so I got an offer from Bath Study
Engineering, which I was really happy with. And then I think it must have
been in my April or May of, 2020.

00:14:42:16 - 00:15:01:02
Unknown
during lockdown, I got an email saying that accepted my place to the
National Center bath. so I think that sort of made up, made up my mind
for me. The opportunity was there and I just had to say yes, basically.
that was I couldn't really see myself doing anything else. I think I
would have regretted it if I went to a different university and sort of
put something on hold a little bit.

00:15:01:04 - 00:15:23:03
Unknown
All right. Okay. I'm going to move forward a bit more. And so I'm going
to go to, well, it's last year. How do you think I. What do you want to
hold? I think if I look at just the swim, at first, I was initially quite
disappointed because I went and got meet with such high expectations,
such high hopes, and I've been training.

00:15:23:03 - 00:15:40:19
Unknown
Well, so things are pointing in the right direction. I sort of hadn't
grasped the, the reality of, like, competing on the world stage. It was a
first. And he had never represented Great Britain before. so I was I was
just over the moon to be there. I also wanted to prove myself, you know,
prove myself to the rest of the team who, like.

00:15:40:19 - 00:16:01:14
Unknown
So my idols were on that team. Some people who I've looked up to from a
whole all my career in swimming, and. Yeah, I swam 100 back. I think it's
my second fastest swim I've ever done. My fastest heat swim, which my
coach told me afterwards after telling her how annoyed I was. and I yeah,
I missed out on the semifinals, which is, which is tough.

00:16:01:14 - 00:16:27:00
Unknown
I mean, the world record holder was about 1/100 for missing semifinals as
well. So putting that in perspective really, you know, goes to show how
competitive it is now cutthroat is on the world stage. But it's a big
learning curve for sure. and a great experience. So you should do a bit
disappointed afterwards when you like. Looking back at it, did you
realize how good it was for, yeah, I think I like to, I always like to
give it a try and keep a level head about stuff.

00:16:27:00 - 00:16:51:12
Unknown
I mean, I was really disappointed to begin with, just, I think because I
had those such high hopes and expectations, but, pretty inspected
afterwards. The time itself wasn't that bad. And it's always tough going
to imagine me knowing you have to get a personal best just to progress.
so yeah, I think this year actually just took a step back and really, you
know, it was actually a decent swim for me.

00:16:51:14 - 00:17:06:04
Unknown
but it's also difficult being on a world championship team because you're
surrounded by some people who have, like, amazing meats. They swim really
well, and then some people who are very like, like, I was down and out,
but, yeah, you come to realize not the end of the world and always happy
to be there to represent Great Britain.

00:17:06:04 - 00:17:27:03
Unknown
And all I thought to myself was, I've got a point to prove. I want to
keep getting better. And then, yeah, okay. That's possible because to be
fair and then moving on a bit further to European seniors and yeah, that
was that was really, really cool as I was obviously again, delighted to
be selected to represent, my country.

00:17:27:05 - 00:17:47:09
Unknown
It's always cool getting that email through. and it was, it was a, it was
a weird one for us because we raced, in the Netherlands, in Rotterdam.
literally must have been 3 or 4 days before the Europeans short course
championships started. So we done some long course racing and bounced
straight on to short course racing.

00:17:47:12 - 00:18:04:12
Unknown
And only about two weeks before that I was racing at Box Boxer at about
14 events in one weekend. So it was very strange going from box, which is
why some people treat it as a piss up weekend and you know, they just
have a great time, which I understand. But obviously some people we have
to go that do call out races, trying get the job done, do over bath.
00:18:04:14 - 00:18:23:21
Unknown
so again, it was a massive learning curve. I had a great, fun, great
time. European short course again. Love being on that team, being
surrounded by people I look up to and inspire me regularly. in sport,
swimming, and seeing how people go about like see how different people go
about their day to day life when it comes to racing.

00:18:23:21 - 00:18:39:13
Unknown
And like if people change or if they have routine, they stick to, or
there are issues like whether they're like joking around or really
serious on the day. That was eye opening as well. So it was really cool
to see what some of the best in Europe. And I was fortunate enough to
that in that competition to like make out the heats.

00:18:39:13 - 00:18:55:14
Unknown
I made it to the semis and back the game night for ten. So just missed
out on the final there and the 200 mark made the final on the last day,
which is really, really cool. But I think by that point I've done so much
racing in the last like 2 or 3 weeks I was pretty knackered. I still have
my own in the final, but I wanted a bit more.

00:18:55:20 - 00:19:12:01
Unknown
But that's just always way and and you always, you always want a bit
more. so yeah, another amazing experience to be honest. So when you, when
you swam the said it was up you know some inspiration right. Yeah. Yeah
some loads. And then you realize you climb to the final like what was
that you had. yeah.

00:19:12:01 - 00:19:29:23
Unknown
So I had quite a good conversation with my coach about that because I'd
never reached the semifinal before. I mean, my whole time swimming
growing up, it was heats and finals or when I was a lot younger, just
like heats. And you just swim all throughout the day. so that was a weird
experience, having to do three, 200 back shows like that.

00:19:29:23 - 00:19:48:12
Unknown
I was I know obviously it's just a two year backstroke and I've done so
many of them before, but it was a bit strange. And the toughest thing for
some of the British athletes were you can enter for people who are
Europeans. So the only two can progress, two semifinals from each
country. So in the heat for all British people, you have to absolutely
rattle it.

00:19:48:14 - 00:20:04:17
Unknown
Otherwise you get knocked out by your own competitors. So I think it
happened to me in the 50 back. So I got beaten by Ollie in Jono, in the
50 back and missed out in the semifinals, which also knocked me off the
place for the for 50 medley relay, which I ended up getting a European
silver.

00:20:04:21 - 00:20:22:18
Unknown
So that would've been awesome. But. So I was a bit guy about that. But my
coaches, I each got a bounce back. Prove what you can do in 102 hundred.
And that's what we focused on. So it worked out well. but yeah racing
semifinal the two year back was was tough having to back up a really hard
heat swim and then a and then a really hard semifinal.

00:20:22:19 - 00:20:41:02
Unknown
But touching I think I came second in that semifinal knowing that
automatic qualifying for the final was so cool. Like especially off the
worlds, you get those darts where I was like, oh, if I'm off, only ever
gonna go to an international competition, like never make out the heats
because it's that tough. so to do that and then progressed to the final
was just unbelievable.

00:20:41:03 - 00:21:04:12
Unknown
It's really cool racing the best in Europe. All right, that's funny too,
because I, I am just yeah. To get to that level. No, it's all right I
mean you never know. Three years ago, four years. You know, someone told
me that I'd be like, that's probably not gonna happen, is it? So you
honestly never know. And, it was humbling at the same time, I loved it,
but it was humbling because some great humans out there.

00:21:04:14 - 00:21:21:00
Unknown
Yeah. I mean, I was like, you feel me today? I was like, oh my God, I'm
around all these like, Olympians. I was the same when I joined bath, I
was sort of like, I'm just literally just a super for waking surrounded
by like Olympic champions, like world champions. And then yet today,
you're not realizing they're just normal people.

00:21:21:05 - 00:21:39:19
Unknown
It sounds so weird. They just they just happen to be really good at
swimming and obviously dedicated themselves to that. which is cool. But
yeah, it's normal people in a day. I got a bit of a funny question. How
did you feel when you came at Twickenham about having a face on a big
screen and the on that, that was, I say that was really strange.

00:21:39:21 - 00:21:52:09
Unknown
So looking up and I was just like, it doesn't really look like me to be
honest. But you know, it's one of those ones where you look in the mirror
and then you look at a photo of you. You actually look quite the same. I
think it's flipped. And I was just like, oh, it's a bit strange. This
listing, some stuff I've done.

00:21:52:10 - 00:22:09:12
Unknown
I just thought, that sounds cool, I guess. But again, I was just like,
the way I see it, it's just I'm still the same person. I still want to do
more. I still want to achieve more. so maybe it's just being competitive.
I feel like it's never enough. So I saw that I was like, that's cool. But
I mean, I want to do more.

00:22:09:12 - 00:22:30:03
Unknown
I want to get further. and it's just classic Kev really plastered on my
face or something. But, yeah, no, I, I lost. Yeah. do you think it's so,
like, a good thing to do? Like, always wanting to get better inside? Do
you think that's a good thing, or is there a point where it becomes like
a positive?

00:22:30:05 - 00:22:51:02
Unknown
I think I think is a really good thing. I think you get you a long way.
some people are better than others. And actually following through and
trying to get better and focusing on what they need to do. But I think,
like you said, there are aspects where you need to take a step back and
be careful, like for example, there's probably a point where Michael
Phelps, he wasn't gonna get much quicker, but all he needs to do was get
the same standard.

00:22:51:02 - 00:23:09:20
Unknown
He was out and compete regularly on the world stage, and he did. That
year in, year out. So I think if you if you start kicking yourself short,
oh, I'm not improving. You know, everyone's gonna get a point in their
career where they're never gonna get any faster. But sometimes it's about
whether you can sit at that level for as long as possible, or just
appreciate where you got to you and be happy with me content.

00:23:10:01 - 00:23:23:05
Unknown
So I think it does help a lot, and it helps a lot of great athletes get
to where they are. I think some of the people I've trained with in the
past have gone a long way. I really like that, really focused on what
they need to do, every single little detail on how they can improve. And,
you know, it helps them massively.

00:23:23:05 - 00:23:38:22
Unknown
But some people looking from the outside in might be like, you're a bit
obsessed, mate, and he's just chill out a little bit. So I guess it
depends. It depends what you're looking for. If you if you want to
dedicate yourself to something completely and that's your sole focus,
then I completely understand it. But I mean, you might lose friends, you
might lose people.

00:23:39:00 - 00:23:56:01
Unknown
They're on the way because they're not as addicted to it as you are.
Don't want it as much as you do. I'm not saying this about me
specifically, by the way. but just depends what you want to get out of
it, I guess. But I think there's definitely an aspect of taking it too
far and like, taking a step back and realizing, for example, in this
case, it's just swimming.

00:23:56:03 - 00:24:21:04
Unknown
You just going up and down a pool as fast as you can. don't measure
yourself based off that a lot. Yeah, I hope so. I've got a little set of
notes on his key words to say just for Kev. So he's happy with the entry
that the 2003 announces of, my God, we're going to be able to trials.
00:24:21:04 - 00:24:45:21
Unknown
Now, I know that was quite an experience for you. What what when going
into it, was it more different like, yeah, this was a tough one for me
for sure. One of the hardest, hardest like mentally and physically weeks
I've had. It must have been career. and I've had some tough weeks now in
Tenerife, with Kevin stuff in Australia in bath and put in a lot of hard
training.

00:24:45:23 - 00:25:02:14
Unknown
It was I've gone through it with my coach and there's, there's so many
different things we can work on. but coming away from it just like
reflecting overall. So I went into it with such high hopes and like
massive expectations, which I think is a bit dangerous, especially for
me. I think just putting that pressure on myself doesn't always work.

00:25:02:14 - 00:25:19:03
Unknown
It doesn't always work that way. I think I need to be myself a bit more
and, you know, just enjoy the moment as opposed to going into thinking
this is what I want to do this all I want to achieve. because you can get
lost in results and times quite easily. so yeah, Charles didn't know that
I wanted to do.

00:25:19:05 - 00:25:37:21
Unknown
Very happy to admit that. I mean, I could just one massive lifetime best
and still not made the Olympic team. But, you know, my name was in the
hat, and I'd love to have performed a little bit better than all you can
do, I guess, is reset and try and come back even stronger. I mean, that's
that's about sums up for him, to be fair.

00:25:37:23 - 00:25:59:17
Unknown
So when like gave him in that box like he's what was really like running
through your mind that you know there's always something even if you're
trying to calm yourself down. What was it that was wrong? Yes, I think I
got to the hundred back heats and I was skipping forward a little bit. My
coach told me afterwards I just didn't look like myself, and I was a bit
like, oh, I don't really know what that means because I can't look at
myself.

00:25:59:18 - 00:26:14:07
Unknown
I felt like I was going through my routine doing the same as normal. and
all I said to myself was, just do a decent job, get yourself in that
final tonight. I ended up missing it by 1/100 and finishing the race and
sort of think I sort of like a bit shocked. I was like, oh, what just
happened there?

00:26:14:09 - 00:26:33:00
Unknown
I that is not good. and I think that messed me a little bit. I'm very
happy to admit, like, my head was just not, not 100% after that because,
you know, obviously it's like I think Mike Tyson once said, everyone's
got a plan to, like, got punched in the face. And that was the swimming
equivalent of getting punched in the face in the first round of boxing
fight.

00:26:33:02 - 00:26:50:10
Unknown
so it was really difficult. I mean, I was really happy to come back that
evening and drop a decent amount of time and, you know, put me I think it
would put me seventh or something like that in the final, obviously with
some moisture in really, really fast in that event. so obviously congrats
to that. They swim amazingly well.

00:26:50:11 - 00:27:08:08
Unknown
I loved it for it to be me, but it wasn't it wasn't on the day. and I
know like in that field is unbelievable number of great rock circus and
some people some really well some people didn't seem that well. It's what
happens in sport. I was happy to come in some decent time in the evening.

00:27:08:10 - 00:27:21:06
Unknown
but then I think a new one for me was going into that. I mean, with
expectations much different to last year at trials where I never really
thought I was going to beat the world's team, I didn't really think I got
a chance. I hadn't really considered that. I just sort of wanted to stay
in my me.

00:27:21:06 - 00:27:38:01
Unknown
And it was nice last year because we're 50 back and sort of a warm up
event where Britain don't really take up, contender for 50 back. But if
you had me, you could swim it if you wanted to. But I don't think it's
really any selection policy for 50 over in the 50 freestyle. so I was a
nice little warm up and didn't really have that.

00:27:38:03 - 00:28:00:16
Unknown
This mean it caught me off guard? but that happens. Yeah. People. People
beat me on the day, and you gotta you gotta live with it. That's that's
true. going back. So up in that race, like getting to the halfway point,
that's, how it did you did you think you were doing well? Was so what was
it good.

00:28:00:17 - 00:28:20:00
Unknown
You think it was feeling good or was it. Yeah, I just felt it felt a bit
average, sort of like a normal in-season swim. which is what my coach
said. Offers you lots of time. You've gone, like in training. Would have
asked you to do a stand up, or you've just done, loads of pace. 50 some
down, another 100 stand up and you've gone times like that before.

00:28:20:00 - 00:28:34:00
Unknown
So it's really weird for me. And I think I turned at 50. I saw my ward is
Grayson, where I trained with, and he'd already turn. I could see him
pushing off go any other way. As I was turning, I was like, oh, this is
not good. I got a lot, got a lot of work to do and then come back on the
last 50.
00:28:34:02 - 00:28:56:05
Unknown
didn't have as much as I wanted to do coming back. So yeah, it was it was
really tough experience. And finishing that race with with family coming
to watch the support is, is always going when you don't live up to your
own. And that expectation, not expectations, but hopes, I guess that's
that's fine. Yeah. Like with with that with be final obviously you've
you've done not great the heats.

00:28:56:05 - 00:29:15:21
Unknown
But you wanted to come back. Did you, did it cross your mind that you
were going to just try and improve yourself again. Do you think you yeah,
definitely. I think at that point, I mean, I qualify for what's in the
hundred last year, which is a bit of a shock because usually about 200,
but, but, we're sort of through things in a mix, but, this year I was
okay, I might have a chance of 100, you know?

00:29:15:21 - 00:29:30:07
Unknown
So you don't know what they're going to be we're going to do on the day,
but but not going out the window. And I was I to reset and go. Right. I
can't make the Olympic team a 100 backstroke. All I can do is to assume
as fast I can tonight and see what I can do. and yeah, I was quite happy
with it.

00:29:30:07 - 00:29:47:23
Unknown
I think the time was still about half second off a personal best, which
was a big personal best at the times. It's sometimes hard to replicate,
but, I was still disappointed with the time in general, but the swim was
better and I was quite proud of myself for coming back after, you know,
missing out on the final and then something that I felt like I should be
in.

00:29:47:23 - 00:30:04:23
Unknown
I'd worked for. I'd been putting the hours. but yeah, I was quite happy
myself, to be honest, at the time. Yeah. Like I said, time wasn't as fast
as I wanted to, but I think that's a common theme here. Nothing's ever is
quite as good as you want it to be. Yeah. So just just for that, that
even got me through.

00:30:05:00 - 00:30:28:16
Unknown
So the race, how do you from the start always get so to be final that
evening I think I had a much better start in the morning. I think I was
quite loopy. I went quite hard and ended up being quite deep on the on
the waters. So my breakout wasn't great. It was much better in the final,
because I think I was up with the order in front of the field by 25.

00:30:28:18 - 00:30:55:04
Unknown
and then I felt pretty strong to 50. I was out relatively fast, nothing
crazy, 26 to I think of memory and then coming back, it hurt. I mean,
you'd have experience that anyone who saw, one back a go, any race that's
coming back. but yeah, I came back, I think at 28 two, which is right
there about half second off where I've been like coming back for, I think
in Rotterdam, just gone in December.

00:30:55:08 - 00:31:16:05
Unknown
So again, disappointed. And it was tough because I had such high
expectations, high hopes. and the training, you know, everything was
pointing in the right direction but didn't come through on the day. And
that happens. But I, I was racing some, some good friends of mine. So it
was good fun at least. and yeah, still got a decent time out of it, I
guess.

00:31:16:07 - 00:31:34:07
Unknown
you, I know it's not great to look back on things. You just have to keep
looking forward. But has it ever crossed your mind since then about this
race? Yeah, I think unfortunately, since that week hasn't been an hour in
a day where I haven't thought about it, you know, a week I'm thinking
about it because it was such a big deal to me.

00:31:34:09 - 00:31:54:00
Unknown
And I think that's pretty natural. I think is as long as, really stick
with myself, and I'm happy to admit that I'm okay with being disappointed
and that it's alright to, you know, have bad swims, and feel, feel like
negatively about them rather than beat myself up about it is is a good
way of managing managing it.

00:31:54:00 - 00:32:11:01
Unknown
But yeah, I think about it all the time, thinking about what went wrong,
thinking about stuff leading up to it. But like you said, you can only
look back so much. And if you're going to look back, you might as well do
it in a way that's going to help you. So might as well look at what can I
improve, what can I learn, what can I take going forward.

00:32:11:03 - 00:32:30:13
Unknown
Yeah. if you call that F1, how do you think the, snap labor would have
affected you? I don't know, to be honest. It was a weird one. Like, I
sort of only someone told me once I got the sim number with the labor up
something, I still hadn't raced the final. I sort of like. I don't need
to focus on what those boys are going to assume that they're doing their
own race now.

00:32:30:13 - 00:32:43:06
Unknown
And I to try and reset and go again for the hundred free tomorrow and two
back later in the week. I'd like to think it wouldn't have put me off.
And I like to think being in that fast to find it would have maybe taken
me out a bit quicker and give me a bit more coming back, but you never
know.

00:32:43:12 - 00:33:05:23
Unknown
Yeah, it's a hypothetical, I guess. So, I'd like to say. Oh, snap, leave
it. Might put everyone else off and maybe go 51.100 back, but somehow I
don't think that was going to happen. Yeah. You know. Yeah. You never
know I guess. Did you ever think about quitting something straight off
one race? Like how disappointing race is agricultural land at all?

00:33:05:23 - 00:33:29:11
Unknown
That you're just like, I'm done straight off that race. No way. No. I,
tried to stay in the meat, which is really difficult. Like I said, it was
one of the most mentally, like, taxing weeks in my life. But straight off
that I was I was like, no, okay, I got I've got to reset. I've got to try
to do the best job I can for the rest of the week, which I'm sure will
come to you, but I did struggle with or sorry, I struggled to sleep and
stuff, knowing how the hundred bucks went.

00:33:29:11 - 00:33:45:08
Unknown
And that plays on your mind quite a lot, which is new experience for me.
And I think that stems from, having those expectations going into the
meet rather than focusing on what you're going to need to do or you've
got to do. I was thinking about the results all the time. I think that
really affected me later in the week.

00:33:45:10 - 00:34:03:10
Unknown
but yeah, no, I didn't want to quit swimming. I definitely don't quit
swimming. But the following trials, when everything, like, was up in the
air a little bit, obviously you got those doubts running through your
mind, but I've got a great support team. Got Kev, got my coach. Yeah,
Jamie's absolutely fantastic. all the coaching staff and team at bath are
great.

00:34:03:10 - 00:34:20:20
Unknown
My friends are bath. My family were there to watch you again. Really want
to need some sauce. I could, but it didn't go quite as planned. But they,
you know, they asked me. They look after me there that afternoon, things
don't go out, which, you know, they've had they haven't gone well
multiple times before while I'm swimming.

00:34:21:01 - 00:34:41:09
Unknown
It's just this probably the biggest has been on. Yes. That is necessary.
Yeah. so about that in the week. How was it the 100 back. Still like
messing with you. That something? yeah. So this is a there's a weird one.
I'm not. Want to make excuses? I try not to be. At least I was quite
happy.

00:34:41:09 - 00:34:56:05
Unknown
Like the day after Manager Barker came in, I saw I'm 100 free. He's just
as a bit of fun, really? Me? My coach decided I would just because I
train a fair amount of freestyle and I was just off going some 50 moves,
so I was okay. Yeah, I mean, I mean good Nick, but it was a tough one
because I barely slept the night before.

00:34:56:07 - 00:35:10:19
Unknown
I was playing on my mind so much, and I'd never really experienced that
again. So it was, it was a it was a new one for me. And then the rest of
that week, it was it was really hard. I kept scrolling on my phone, go on
social media, see all these people to hit nomination times and having the
weeks of their life.

00:35:10:19 - 00:35:28:11
Unknown
And, you know, obviously my first, first one hadn't gone well for me. I
think that played on my mind a lot, a lot more than I wanted to admit
anyway. But I tried my best stay in the meet. You know, I was in an
Airbnb with three other boys who I'm good mates with, and I wanted them
to as best as possible, so I didn't want to bring anyone down.

00:35:28:13 - 00:35:44:16
Unknown
but yeah, I think it, it got to be more than I wanted to admit at the
time, and I probably should have said something, but, you know, it's one
of those ones where I was sort of like, oh, I'll be fine come the next
day. Like, if I'm tired. Okay. Good night. Sleep tonight didn't really
happen. It's just my mind was racing a million miles an hour for the next
few days.

00:35:44:21 - 00:36:04:20
Unknown
Got to the two and back on the last day, and I think I was just
exhausted, to be honest, and made the final, which is all right. But I
felt pretty rough and rusty in the morning, and then the evening was one
of the most painful swims I never had. Jamie was like, my coach, sorry,
you might as well go out for it, you know you're not and lose outside
lane.

00:36:04:22 - 00:36:23:09
Unknown
and you got a lot of speed. Or at least I had been in training before.
I'd be looking good, so went for it. And I think I didn't get my lactate
measured afterwards, which you usually do to like, see sort of how much
lactate you're reducing during the race. But I think you, I say like a
new British record in lactate because I was in so much pain.

00:36:23:11 - 00:36:45:07
Unknown
with about 70m to go, I've got this weight of just like exhaustion go
overboard. I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything else fighting it. But
the last 50 was just so painful. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I know you just
didn't turn your back. I know the pressure. Tony presses. Yeah. I mean,
it's just swimming in general. Isn't it really as fun as it is, sometimes
it, it does hurt.

00:36:45:07 - 00:37:04:19
Unknown
So this just how it is? Yeah. sort of like for general racing. Now, when
you like, when you jump in the water to get ready, first of all, is it,
well, what is the cold water? What to do to, like, bring you back to
reality? Does it make you more nervous? What? So, I don't know. I think
it's I think it's quite natural at this point.

00:37:04:19 - 00:37:19:23
Unknown
I've obviously done a lot of racing, through the years. jumping in the
water. I think you sort of guess. You ready for it, you know? Okay, this
is this is real. Not everything before that has been prepared for. And
now it's like it's go time. I'll try and clear my mind, to be honest or
not.

00:37:19:23 - 00:37:44:12
Unknown
Think about the people next to me. And I just try and think, well, I've
just got to execute. And I think some of my best races are when there's
nothing going on, there's nothing going through my mind. I just sort of
go on instinct. I think that works really well. So that's a Sunday, which
I work on, because I have a tendency to overthink stuff and think things
through to like the smallest detail when really, it's just two laps of
the pool.

00:37:44:12 - 00:38:01:11
Unknown
If it's 100, for example, it's just up and down. So, yeah, I think I
think it makes it feel a lot more real. Makes you you're ready to go and
you dive in when you jump in that water, obviously different as you're
starting off the blocks, but, yeah. Yeah. To be fair, that's, that's
that's pretty much it.

00:38:01:12 - 00:38:23:19
Unknown
Yeah. Once. Did you ever watch the race five again? Like on the on my
parallel, the 200 back series, that 100 I watched I watched 100 back to
stay in the meet. I watched the heat and I sort of like I agree, my coach
doesn't really look like me. Doesn't look like me when I'm really like,
fine, I'm ready to go.

00:38:24:00 - 00:38:42:00
Unknown
I compare that to my swim last year at trials, and I sort of like I was
so fired up that my rate was high. I was just far in like on all
cylinders, and this one just sort of look sluggish and slow, which is
really tough to watch. but the 200 I've, I haven't watched, but yeah,
I'll happily admit I was just it was too painful.

00:38:42:02 - 00:38:57:15
Unknown
And I'm just still like, getting through and just focusing on all the
stuff at the moment for I take a look back, because I think there's a
number of things that went into it which can be improved. And I've spoken
to my spoken about it thoroughly with my coach and support staff already,
and they obviously watched it live.

00:38:57:15 - 00:39:14:17
Unknown
So, I've got a good idea of what went on. but yeah, it's going to be a
tough one to watch back here. It always is when it's like that. Yeah. Did
you did you listen to the commentary at all in the back? was that my my
final, the final? Final? no, I don't think so.

00:39:14:17 - 00:39:37:04
Unknown
I, I was lucky enough to get, like, I think someone from British I and
like, videoed it from the stands. So you can really hear the commentary.
Yeah. Yeah. Because I can tell you from the BBC he was like, it really
was terrible story that. Oh, really? Oh, he, he would have gone so much
better. But like he's just missed out on the, the what we really should
be and this one that I do, if I can play that.

00:39:37:06 - 00:40:00:02
Unknown
Yeah. Well, I'd like to think that'd be true. It's like I said, I was
happy it was. I was proud of myself. Because, I mean, there is an aspect
of it. It's always good when things are going well. It's really easy to
be happy, positive, you know, keep your head in the game when things go
well. And my coach said he was proud of me for coming back the way I do,
staying fashionable and dropping quite a lot of time and posting up a
decent time.

00:40:00:04 - 00:40:17:20
Unknown
Nothing amazing, but a decent time in and not be final. sort of sitting
by myself as well. I could see like by the time I got to 50, I had a
little bit of distance on some of the other swimmers who also like some,
some great swim is enough. Yeah. Like, even though they're even though
we're just in the B final, you know, some class, some class opposition.

00:40:17:22 - 00:40:36:11
Unknown
So, it's nice it's nice to hear that, but, Yes. It's all I thought. It
wasn't it. If you made the final, you might have done this. I didn't make
the finals. So you've got you got to go with it. Yeah. That's true. Was
there any and some talk between you guys in the B funding and talk to us
in like pre-race.

00:40:36:13 - 00:40:51:22
Unknown
You're about to walk out. Is there any talk that, not really. I'm not a
big talker for races. I like put my music on and I think it just started
from when I was when I was young, off on people chat in the cool room. I
still get pulled off a little bit. I'm thinking I was like, I've got to
do a two you box, okay, this is really gonna.

00:40:51:22 - 00:41:07:00
Unknown
And these guys are joking about, like, I know some cartoon they've just
watched just doesn't really get me in the right mindset. I just need to
be a little bit more serious in that. But still, when I get to, top, I
think Scott Gibson, who, like, I know quite well he's Grace, really fast.
50 bucks.

00:41:07:00 - 00:41:23:16
Unknown
Like a really good 100 bucks. So he was next to me and I was speaking to
him. Maybe he's early in the day, or maybe it's just before the race.
Like before I put my music in, and he's. I wouldn't be great if said the
nomination time from the final. And I was like, that would be cool,
because I was looking at that based on my PB, a little bit of a little
bit of a drop.
00:41:23:16 - 00:41:36:05
Unknown
The certainly I thought was realistically realistic going into the meet.
but with the time I saw in the heat, I just sort of like, I'm just gonna
see what I can do. he said that to me, though, but a smile on my face,
I'm like, yeah, because of both of us did it. So I said, I think I said
that back to him.

00:41:36:05 - 00:41:53:13
Unknown
I can't, I can't really remember now. but that's not it, to be honest.
Yeah. Otherwise I keep my music and keep myself to myself. What's your
greatest song? Oh, I've got, I've got a whole playlist, so I don't know.
I like a bit of Kanye West. I like about the house music as well. To be
fair, I don't know about you.

00:41:53:13 - 00:42:09:19
Unknown
Just the music for race. Yeah. No, I, I like the Rocky soundtrack. Rocky
soundtracks. Okay. All the praise, the Creed one. Yeah, the Creed I, I
don't know, the woman was I seen the first movie, but there's like 5 or
6, isn't there. So I haven't. See, I do need the rest of them. but the
Creed ones are great.

00:42:09:19 - 00:42:34:10
Unknown
Yeah, I really, really enjoy Creed. that's fair enough. Yeah. What else?
I'll actually go. Was there anything you've like, Really? From your from
this entire thing? Is there anything you've learned that you didn't know
already or anything? It's just being reminded from this meat just gone
awesome in in general. Oh, so something in general and also making this
meaningless.

00:42:34:12 - 00:42:56:14
Unknown
Yeah. Mainly this meat, I'd say focusing on yourself, you know, I think,
John, I said it in a podcast before, but you're also in sort of a you
can't no one's going to come and slide deck with you in your lane, which
is a funny way of putting that. But, as John, I that's just, you know,
you like then that you're in a lane by yourself, you might as well focus
on yourself.

00:42:56:18 - 00:43:18:04
Unknown
Everything you can do to improve anything anyone else does, any times
they post, anything they say to you can't physically make a difference to
you. But you know you can mess with your head. And I think that's a big
part of part, not part sorry, big part of a sport. so yeah, if if some of
the best teams in the world, you sort of they really don't care about
what anyone else does.

00:43:18:10 - 00:43:37:01
Unknown
Someone get a world record in the semifinal? Comes the final the next
day, or you've got to beat them. They might go ten second slower. If it's
a 400, I hope not. Anything else? I don't know, but, Yeah, focus on
yourself and, you know, be proud of yourself for how much you've done. I
think I had such high expectations that year.
00:43:37:01 - 00:43:53:03
Unknown
On year, I was going to keep improving, keep improving, and this was a
bit of a setback in an Olympic year, which is really tough. but, you
know, I can't complain. We have things been going. I'm this is one point
in my career when I was just fortunate enough to be in Cavs senior squad,
another part when I was just fortunate enough to be accepted into BAF.

00:43:53:03 - 00:44:16:20
Unknown
So, yeah, that's that's a big part of it. Focus on yourself, be proud of
where you got to. And, those are the two big key takeaways. Yeah. That's,
That's good. Just do you think you've grown much as a person since that?
Yeah, definitely. I, I kept on telling myself this. I think I after the
me, I was in two minds.

00:44:16:20 - 00:44:32:23
Unknown
I had the level headed part my mind and the, like, competitive always
wants to win and then sort of what's going on mind when, you know, it
wasn't going how I wanted to. the levelheaded part of me was like, you
hear all these success stories about people and that always reiterating
that you got to have, like, big failures.

00:44:33:05 - 00:44:51:01
Unknown
You've got to have setbacks to get to where you want to be. And if I'm
being honest, like in my in my swim in life so far, you know, year on
year, I've been improving, dropping time. And a lot of people don't
experience that. Some people like me in for six years, and that 20 fly
made the world's team last year, which is amazing.

00:44:51:03 - 00:45:15:23
Unknown
I think I take a bit of inspiration and stuff like that. And, you know,
it's always easy to to like, look at someone to support them when they're
doing really well and like, see everything they're doing this amazing.
but yeah, training yourself with a great bunch of people is best way to
keep going. Best way to keep your head screwed on and, making sure, yeah,
they're there for you and when you most need it, which is probably when
I'm most needed last week.

00:45:15:23 - 00:45:38:22
Unknown
But like, yeah. How me put things in perspective as well. You know, at
the end of day, no one's died. It's swimming. you can't go and have a
massive stroke about it. so yeah. That's good. what would be your next
competition event? So you've got these, trials, hosting next big
meetings. So it's a weird one now.

00:45:39:00 - 00:45:58:15
Unknown
because I'm not going to the games. there's a couple of options. I'm not
100% sure yet. Still got a couple of months out from when an end of
season meet would usually be. I think my coach mentioned Danish nationals
as a possibility to be really cool. Not too far away, but I get to go to
another country, experience what that's like.
00:45:58:17 - 00:46:22:08
Unknown
and that might be a great opportunity for someone like me. or cover the
other balsam as you've just missed out because, you know, that's always
away with teams and stuff. It's always. You mean people miss out? so
that's that's looking like a potential opportunity. But then I do speak
to my coach, and one of the silver linings of not being on the team is
there might be opportunities for me to focus on other aspects of my life
because the world can't revolve around something.

00:46:22:11 - 00:46:36:15
Unknown
So I think I was gonna look at like internships and work experience for
moving on to the wider world when when that time comes. But hopefully
it's not. Yeah, I really want to hang up my goggles. So, that was just a
possibility and see if I could fit in around swimming and where I could
go with that.

00:46:36:17 - 00:46:54:03
Unknown
So it was a lot of things to consider, really. but Danish was one of
them, I think. Jacob, as you missed out on the team, is great. Summer. so
you're going to Manchester and then City College or something along those
lines in Rome? because he loves those sort of competitions. I think it's
prize money as well, which is a never a bad thing.

00:46:54:05 - 00:47:13:11
Unknown
But yeah, I'm really not sure at the moment, to be honest. I'm just
taking it day by day. Yeah. so you can even keep swimming. There's no
there's not any doubt ever. You'd be stopping swimming. As tough as it
was facing trials. not turn your back on that Sunday morning. Not much
pain in it. Not going well and thinking, oh, I should just quit now.

00:47:13:13 - 00:47:31:23
Unknown
you know, I spoke to myself, took a step back and realized, like, it's
it's one little blip in a swimming career that I've loved doing, and last
year had my best year in swimming ever. So I would I think I'd be kicking
myself for years to come if I just stopped them enough up. Yes. Plus, so
true.

00:47:32:00 - 00:47:49:09
Unknown
what about you? You plan on swimming in university? So what you want to
do? So I don't know what I'm going to get some ones. Yeah, yeah. If they
have any sports programs, I might go for that. That's cool. Which would
be good if you're at. No, no, I still, you know, every level is
important. might see you around at bucks.

00:47:49:09 - 00:48:14:20
Unknown
I guess I still got. Yeah. After a year or so, my academics at Boston not
not make you, How long have you got left in Boston? So I've got one more
academic year because my course is, four year degree masters. but, both
are very good at supporting, like, athletes in that career in terms of if
you need to split academic years or like breakdown modules, stuff like
that, then, happy to like facilitate that.

00:48:14:22 - 00:48:30:13
Unknown
So I did that last year and this year, my third year. So I split it over
two academic years, which I relieve the academic stress a little bit. And
hopefully help me perform in swimming. which did go really well,
unfortunately. Like I said, jaws didn't go as well as I wanted, but the
rest of the time I've been great.

00:48:30:14 - 00:48:50:17
Unknown
I've really enjoyed it. So, what would be like one inspirational thing
you get to say? Like, so I, you know, someone's watching will be the one
thing you would say. it's it's a big loaded question. Hey. Yeah, that's
that's a really tough one. I wish I had a couple of notes in my pocket
now. Okay.

00:48:50:19 - 00:49:13:13
Unknown
I guess I guess it would be the hard work gets you further than you
think. You know, as a junior swimmer, I was never unbelievable. I wasn't
ready breaking records. I didn't make a junior team, although my last
year had a chance to. But I was taken away because of Covid. But you get
some people who are 14, 15 and breaking aged records, you know, winning
gold every meet they do.

00:49:13:13 - 00:49:32:13
Unknown
And being 14, 15 and saying, decathlon, I'm training really hard. I
really I mean, I could train that much harder. And I do feel like I'm
growing into other people so much faster than me, like leaps and bounds
faster than me. what's going on? I'm Kev, sort of like, in each number of
patients, you know, good things come to those.

00:49:32:13 - 00:49:50:07
Unknown
You and I put in a lot of hard work. I'm proud of myself for that. And it
got me further than I ever thought I had. So far. And it's inspired me to
reach for it even further than the position I'm at now. So, yeah, I think
hard work pays off in ways sometimes that you might not even see as well.

00:49:50:09 - 00:50:09:13
Unknown
Say, for example, you train with someone for five years while you're at a
club program. You train really hard. It doesn't pay off in swimming
because it's just swimming in sports tough and it's cutthroat, and people
make it to different levels. Ten years down the line. They might remember
you as a really great hard worker, end up working with them in a
business, for example.

00:50:09:15 - 00:50:30:13
Unknown
So, so little things, which I really believe in. I think hard work in all
aspects of what you do and committing yourself pays off in ways you can't
think of originally. But you might waver and you block off. I'm glad I
did that. So you think something like builds character the most? Yeah,
massively. And that's another thing I try to tell myself.

00:50:30:13 - 00:50:51:05
Unknown
After having a tough week at trials, I was like, I hope in ten years
time, you know, as corny as it is, I look back and think, you know, this
made me the person I am today and it made me a better person. that's why
I like to think, who knows us. Yeah. Trust. That's true. I want to jump
that one on you.

00:50:51:05 - 00:51:13:23
Unknown
Now, if you've got any words of advice for anyone, I'd love to hear,
because that's a tough question. If you don't know the answer yet, love.
Of course. lots of of showing up to me. WhatsApp, every year. Oh yeah. if
you've got the shoulders, that's squeeze to show you stuff. Hey, that's
the only one.

00:51:14:00 - 00:51:33:15
Unknown
like, always progressing, always taking things out of you to make
yourself and so on. Yeah, we've got it. And you've got to do something to
order grow out of that show. It's flashing. Oh yeah. What's up with that?
I don't know, I can barely see it though. That's to be fair, it's really
not. story mode.

00:51:33:20 - 00:51:45:16
Unknown
Yeah. It's not enough. The problem?

00:51:45:18 - 00:52:03:06
Unknown
And the broken it. That's pretty impressive. Too much. Yeah, yeah. No,
it's. I mean, it has been great. I hope so, because I've did a promotion
swimming forecasting before. Then if you ever saw an, I have. Yeah. A
couple of you at all. It was good. Like it was nice you were chatting and
you said some good stuff, but you just waffled on and on and on.

00:52:03:08 - 00:52:20:17
Unknown
And I remember Kev. Kev was. You said that to me. He was telling you off
in the morning to try to be five in the morning, and he could just hear
me on both side, like just changed so much. I'm not going to say the
word, but yeah. And yeah, yeah, yeah. And waffling at five in the morning
Kev would move me because he's like, you just need to stop talking
sometimes about do people.

00:52:20:17 - 00:52:45:21
Unknown
There we go. Yeah. It just needed a second try. Not to be fed up with it.
We've been great. We sold long. Well to be out by now but okay. Well
right. I don't have to waffle my questions now because I've run off, that
okay? Yeah. Australia, you know, you went to us for the some camp.

00:52:45:23 - 00:53:12:18
Unknown
How did you enjoy that? Was that something you enjoy much? I absolutely
loved it. It's it's like. It's like all the best bits about swimming all
in one place. So some things I didn't go wrong again. Yeah, I you that,
Okay. yeah. Yeah. I'm guessing that makes it looks great on there. Yeah,
yeah. Otherwise I'd, I'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:53:12:20 - 00:53:36:09
Unknown
Sorry. Yeah. So Australia is unbelievable. Was like so all the best bits
about swimming all in one place. No it's always sunny. It's at 30 degrees
every day. I mean, the movie's crazy, but, I'm pretty lucky that I don't
really burn that much, but a lot of other people take a lot of care with,
like, their skin and stuff, because you can get burned so quickly and so
easily, even when it's like overcast and cloudy.

00:53:36:11 - 00:53:56:21
Unknown
you can get burns. You've really got to be careful. but, yeah, it's great
fun. You're there. Train trains, no distractions. you know, we're in
these amazing apartments overlooking, east coast of Australia. You walk
to the pool, it's really sunny. Everyone's talking about in Australia.
Everyone seems really active and fit there. I guess it's because the
weather's so good and everyone likes spending so much time outside.

00:53:57:03 - 00:54:21:17
Unknown
You get to the pool. Unbelievable facility. I think it's where the
Commonwealth Games were held in 2018. There's like six pools there, two
50 meter ones. I a short course, one some fun ones as ice baths, hot tub,
diving boards. Not that we get to use those, but just in case you wanted
to. And the receptionist, all the staff, they're unbelievably lovely and
welcoming, and they all seem to really love their job.

00:54:21:22 - 00:54:39:13
Unknown
And I'm not trying to talk bad about any of the leisure and people here
or Wickham, but they're just so, so enthusiast there. And I think it
probably plays in with it just being really nice weather as well, and
just how friendly genuinely Australians are. And to us at least I guess,
yeah, such a good time. It's just really, really difficult.

00:54:39:15 - 00:54:56:13
Unknown
Like the sessions, some of them. Yeah. We always get handed out the
sessions beforehand and you take a look at them and I've seen like Dino's
it's on these Olympic champions. And you sat there I think and he goes,
it's the hardest session I seen in my life. And if you thinking that you
got to be like, oh, I'm breaking it, I'm really scared.

00:54:56:18 - 00:55:16:02
Unknown
But I think one of the, one of the big things that, my coach resisted is
like having courage is, you know, not being not afraid of anything is
being scared of and doing anyway. So, yeah, a really, really hard session
you got then give everything you can in the pool. You know, you've done a
good job. I'm just going to pay down the line whether that pay down the
line, whether that's willing to play.
00:55:16:04 - 00:55:38:09
Unknown
six months later, two years later, you never know. so yeah, absolutely.
Love it. Minus stuff. 36 hours of travel or whatever it takes to get
that. Yeah, I'm talking house to house. All these flights, I think like
20, 21, 22 hours. But then there's all the into, like, overlays and
busses you have to get and stuff and it's like, oh, that did you have to
you do to stop in Singapore?

00:55:38:14 - 00:55:58:15
Unknown
Yeah. We stopped in Singapore for about 2 or 3 hours. Some of that is
obviously getting off the plane. Get my explain. but yeah, it's nice food
in Singapore airports you have was pretty cool. Although we didn't get to
see the stuff that you always see on, like the TikToks of it with the
waterfall stuff. We never saw that bit, so I don't know where that is,
but, one day, hopefully I get to see that when you go back to Australia.

00:55:58:21 - 00:56:22:22
Unknown
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go back to Australia just to look around Singapore.
Apple. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. How does how does the Animal Street
necessary. It was well I guess when I was, when I was at Tenerife as well
as I was, I was a junior level athlete. Like it's as kids got high
expectations. when I was back at Wickham in generation, I wouldn't let
you have bad foods.

00:56:23:00 - 00:56:35:22
Unknown
when I have, like, chips and stuff for dinner to come with because you
know, he's just looking out for you and, well, that you're there on a
performance training camp. And for a lot of people, pet people's parents
paying a lot of money to be there. So, Kev just wants the best out of
you, and it makes sense.

00:56:36:00 - 00:56:56:00
Unknown
whereas Australia is very much you cook for yourself. so I guess that's
more of a reflection of being a senior athlete. Those decisions are up to
you. You can go get kebab every night if you really wanted to be quite
expensive. But you know, some people can afford that. Some people also
with. So but yeah, it's, it's, it's a lot more there's a lot more
freedom.

00:56:56:02 - 00:57:17:02
Unknown
But with that comes responsibility and expectation. And the expectation
is, you know, you're you're you're not you're relaxing. You're not going
crazy on the weekends. because you come back in the next week and push
yourself solid. You count in the pool. So, lots of similarities with
Tenerife, but facilities, both world class. let me have a walk to both of
the pools, I guess, depending on where you're staying.

00:57:17:04 - 00:57:34:03
Unknown
but, yeah, I guess the level of professionalism and the seriousness of it
is, a lot more in Australia, but you still. So have a great time. yeah,
that's always good. I hate to break it to you. Last year, Kev actually
gave us so much freedom in the food. I did hear about this. and I sort of
get why.

00:57:34:05 - 00:57:48:22
Unknown
Yeah. You know, it's clearly understandable. You know, people are looking
at things in different ways and people need a bit of freedom in that, in
that sense, like, because some people, you know, don't like certain
things. And if you're limited, for example, it might be better for you to
have this fruit. I get it, I completely get it.

00:57:48:22 - 00:58:07:18
Unknown
And when you're in a like a position of responsibility and that sort of
thing, it makes sense. But, yeah, I was a bit jealous, to be honest. I
scream at dinner and stuff like that. Was that about it? Was it was
important. Otherwise we talked. Talk about the healthy stuff. Yeah. Okay.
Fair enough. A couple of churros.

00:58:07:18 - 00:58:23:01
Unknown
If you want to. Yeah. To be fair, we we did that when we we're telling
you I think like if you have a really hard session like right, everyone
gets churros and, actually gave you something to really look forward to
because you have done a really good job and now you get rewarded for it.
I felt great, and I really liked it when I was like that.

00:58:23:03 - 00:58:41:01
Unknown
and I'm pretty sure everyone I associated with that as well. But it's
funny. It's funny hearing hearing that from you as it's just it's like
the year before, we have nothing like one day we had nice stuff and then
the rest of the time last year it was basically every day we had
something nice. It was value as much.

00:58:41:03 - 00:58:59:21
Unknown
Yeah, I remember, I remember as well. We went to Siam Park and you get
the burger vouchers. I don't know if you and people, some people didn't
like burgers and some people like I'm a vegetarian. So I didn't get like
five burger likes and just scoff in my face. so yeah, I mean, what we can
do to try and avoid, like, unhealthy foods, but I guess everyone needs a
little bit every now and again.

00:58:59:21 - 00:59:29:17
Unknown
You can't be too strict with yourself. It's the slice of pizza. Oh, yeah,
that gets that is an interesting take. I think I'll have to agree to
disagree on that one, but they are good to be sure they all good food.
yeah. Yeah. and also all the other, well, yeah. I mean, you know, there's
also obviously no pressure to do that, but I mean, if you got any other
questions, any other time, feel free to drop me a message or anything or
I'll give you a video call, anything like that.

00:59:29:17 - 00:59:50:12
Unknown
So we're obviously great quality is this is obviously this is unreal.
But, Yeah. No thank you. Thank you for having me. feel free to if you
like, that. We can we have a good heart cinema screening of, this. I
don't know if I can watch myself. I hate him. First of all, my voice
doesn't sound like it sounds to me.

00:59:50:14 - 01:00:13:20
Unknown
I know mine's a little bit husky and, like, it's a little bit, like, sore
today, actually. But, Yeah, I hate this in my own voice. I hate watching
myself. I don't know how actors voice recorders do it. It's it baffles
me. I want to see baffles me. I'm I get to stand up for him. Anyway, I
guess we shouldn't touch your equipment, but, I mean, if I follow this,
people who ask me, well, I'm here at home.

01:00:13:20 - 01:00:29:12
Unknown
My little thing I want to train. You mentioned about that. I mean, like,
if you this, I'll let you go us eventually joke. Yeah. Oh, okay. Well, as
long as then, I mean, you know, reasons, you know, I'll have to say,