Swimmers end up in the race pool down a wide variety of routes. Here are two tales that highlight the importance of early inspiration, fun and direction, as told by 1996 double Olympic champion Danyon Loader (NZL) and London 2012 hopeful for the host nation, Aimee Wilmott
Danyon Loader evoked so well a moment so important to the life of a champion when he spoke to New Zealand media this week on the day he became an ambassador to the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre for the district council of Timaru, place of his birth.
"We are a nation of water lovers," he told Scoop. "I cannot remember not being in it. My earliest memory of water was standing by the ocean in my father's arms and him lifting me to jump the small waves that came lapping at our feet and him putting me down again as the water ran back out."
He added: "We are a country with the longest coastline in the world that is within three hours' drive for everyone who lives here. With such a high water profile, added to by the number of lakes and rivers that New Zealanders love to play in, it was absolutely imperative that everyone, especially the very young, had the opportunity to learn to swim properly. It's a skill that everyone should have. You don't have to be an Olympic swimmer. What's important is that you have the ability to swim reasonably well to remain safe and enjoy our aquatic heritage."
Indoor centres were critical to the whole story, noted Loader, in a country where weather renders the coast off-limits for long stretches of the year.
Loader recalled the days of toil, fun and inspiration with coach Duncan Laing on his way to Olympic silver over 200m butterfly in 1992 and gold in the 200m and 400m freestyle four years on in Atalnta. "I remember coming to swim camps in Timaru with Duncan Laing when I was at high school in Dunedin and we would train at Century Pool in Craigie Avenue and at Maori Park where your new pool will be," he told those gathered, among whom one day a new champion may emerge.
Young Brit London 2012 hopeful Aimee Willmott also has a fine swimming heritage to draw on, one close to home: her father, Stuart, raced for Britain at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
His 17-year-old daughter, who will head out to Budapest for the European Championships next month and then Delhi to race for England at the Commonwealth Games in October, has just won the sportsperson of the year award granted yearly by her local newspaper, the Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough.
Speaking to the paper in after accepting her award, Wilmott spoke of the value she gains from having a parent who had been that way before her, a 400m medley man who had endured his own fair share of commitment, dedication and discipline.
"He knows what he's on about," said Wilmott junior. "He understands when I say that I'm tired. It's much better having a dad that knows what he's talking about - rather than someone that just takes me to the pool and drops me off."
For Dad, now 46, too much knowledge can be a painful thing. "I know straight away if she's not swimming well and she'll have only done 25m of a 400m race. I can pick up on it straight away, and it's awful because I've got no control over it. The only thing we have control over are things like sleep, food and getting her there," he says.
The he notes the critical element of the parent who wants their child to do well but knows how far to tread. "Every time she swims well or even when I think about what she's achieved I become quite emotional. I think my enthusiasm has definitely rubbed off on Aimee, but I've never ever pushed her into it." The lives of swimming parents come down to "time management", he notes.
Sacrifices, some call such things. Others see the world in terms of rewards. "Swimming gives you the independence to do other things," says the teenager. "You've got to rely on yourself. I went to Australia for a month when I was 13 and again when I was 14, so I'm used to being away from home and looking after myself."
