Pearse primed and ready to swim – and win
Col Pearse has been in a German-based Commonwealth Games training camp and has spoken exclusively to Red Gum Review about his preparations and his hopes for his medal swim on Friday.
Swimming star Col Pearse says he is in the best shape of his life as he looks to go back to back as a Commonwealth Games gold medallist on Friday.
Speaking from Germany, where the 23-year-old Bamawm Extension Paralympian has been ensconced in a training camp at Darmstadt, south of Frankfurt, for the past 11 days, Col says “physically and mentally I am the best I have ever been”.
The 59-strong Australian Para swim team flies out of Germany today and into the athletes’ village at Glasgow, which will not only host the Commonwealth Games which were meant to be held across regional Victoria, it will also be the setting for the largest Para sport program in Commonwealth history.
“It was a real climate shock when we arrived, never mind the jet lag,” Col laughs.
“We went from 2C in Melbourne to 32C in Germany, that was a bit of a sudden change, but once we got settled in training has been going really well – and been a lot of fun,” he says.
“Let’s face it, it’s always a little rough after such a long flight, the jetlag and the dehydration, which was compounded by the weather here.”
Col says Darmstadt has been the training headquarters for swimming, with athletes and staff there are more than 100 of them on site.
He says they have now gone through the team induction for their arrival at the Games village – which covers everything from security and accreditation to recovery and physio.
“All we had left to do in Germany was pack our suitcases and get back on another plane and get to the Games because I am, we all are, excited to race,” Col says.
Pearse has now competed in and medalled at two Paralympics, one Commonwealth Games and five world championships. When he swims on Friday he hopes to keep that success record intact.
“But with 17 or 18 rookies in the squad – and our youngest swimmer is just 14 – I am happy to help show some of them the ropes, or just have a coffee with them to make them feel welcome and answer any questions they might have.”
Coffee, Col admits, has become a linchpin of team’s time in Germany.
He says there are quite a few of the guys from the Melbourne program in which he works, so they have brought the Melbourne coffee spirit with them, checking out as many cafés as possible.
And even found time to squeeze in a pork schnitzel and a couple of serves of German sausage.
“We have also had to be careful, as the heat here really has been something but with the Games this close, we are now fully into our taper. My speed has come together, my shoulders are fine although my legs are still a little fatigued but that will improve,” Col adds.
“Then on the Friday I will be swum and done and hopefully I am ready to give it everything.
“Swimming is a very individual sport, but once you’re out of the water you’re one of the team and that has to be one of the best things about it all.”
