June 2008

The Man With the Golden Goggles

Eamon Sullivan leads the charge of Australian swimmers set to make a splash at this year’s Olympic Games

Photo: Getty Images/Matt King

WORDS STEPHANIE GREEN

If you were lauded as the most exciting sportsman since David Beckham, you could be forgiven for being a bit smug. But Eamon Sullivan, the world’s fastest man in water, has his feet planted firmly on the ground.

These days, it seems anything Australia’s latest aquatic sensation touches turns to gold. At the recent Australian Olympic selection trials, he smashed the world 50-metres freestyle record – twice. Plus, as one half of the sport’s latest glamour couple – girlfriend Stephanie Rice also picked up two world records at the trials – Sullivan is set to cash in on lucrative endorsement deals thanks to the duo’s photogenic good looks and red-hot, parallel career paths.

Photo: Rob BlackburnHow does he feel about all the media attention? Let’s start with the “fastest man in watertag”. He says matter-of-factly: “I haven’t come to believe it yet. I still have more to prove.”

Sullivan had his first taste of Olympic glory at Athens 2004, and the thought of bettering himself at Beijing this August is what keeps him charging up and down the pool. “The Beijing 100 metres will be the most important event of my career.”

Sullivan shrugs off the pressure. “I just don’t think about it,” he asserts. “I live day by day and set myself small goals – stepping stones to advance towards my objective – the Olympics.” These small goals could be anything from working on his technique, specific times, fine-tuning his diet or even making sure he rehydrates himself more often.

Rice has spoken publicly about Sullivan’s determination and discipline, describing him as the most hard-working athlete she’s met. But it wasn’t always like that. Sullivan confesses that he only began to take swimming seriously in 2004, after winning selection for the Athens Olympic team. “Before then, I never really thought of myself as an elite swimmer. Once I was selected I had a bit of a wake-up call. Before then I was still enjoying a pretty active social life.”

What about the boredom of endless training? “I still love swimming – I’d say 90% of the time is 100% enjoyable.” Sullivan has been with coach Grant Stoelwinder for eight years and describes their relationship as one of “communication and understanding. It started as a typical coach/swimmer relationship but we’re now friends – valuing one another’s input.”

While others seem amazed at Sullivan’s rapid rise, the 1.82m lad is more pragmatic. “Every year has been a stepping stone – a series of small improvements. Each meet, I look for my next small goal. I don’t put limits on what I can achieve.”

Is he willing to weigh in on the great swimsuit debate? “Look, it’s evolving technology,” he sighs. “Athletes are always looking forwards not backwards – it’s how we improve. People don’t expect tennis players to use wooden frames. Why shouldn’t swimmers use new technology? The suits aid in the way we feel in the water, but at the end of the day the hard work is done in the training pool – where we don’t wear the suits.”

Eamon Sullivan

Hometown? Perth.
Nickname? Sullo
Age? 22.
Career highlights? 2004 Athens Olympic Games: 4 x 100 freestyle relay – 6th; 2006 Commonwealth Games: 4 x 100m medley relay – gold, 50m freestyle – silver, 4x100m freestyle relay – silver, 100m freestyle – bronze; 2007 World Championships: 100m freestyle – bronze, 4 x 100m medley relay – gold, 4 x 100m freestyle relay – 5th.
Favourite pool to train in? It’s a toss-up between Sydney, the scene of most of my wins, and the temporary Melbourne one – the nicest location.
Pre-race fuel? Baked beans, chicken with rice or a roll, protein shakes.
Other sports/fitness regimes? Pilates, yoga, cycling, weights, stretching, the odd game of footy with mates.

Andrew Lauterstein

Photo: Delly Carr/SportshootHometown? Melbourne.
Nickname? Steiner, Lorda.
Age? 21.
Favourite event? 100m butterfly.
What keeps you getting up in the morning? My goal of competing well at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
What’s your typical day? Alarm goes off at
4.13am, jump out of bed and head to training. Train in the water from 4.45am–7am then home for breakfast. Sleep for a few hours. Pilates session at 12.15pm. Head to the driving range to hit a few balls. Train in the water from
3.45pm–5.45pm. Go to the gym until 6.30pm. Home for dinner, collapse on the couch. Into bed around 10pm.
Do you have a routine or ritual before a big competition? Throughout the whole competition I’ll eat the same breakfast every morning.
Best sporting memory? Being involved in the gold medal-winning medley relay team at the 2007 World Championships.
Other sports/fitness regimes? I used to play baseball, football and water polo, but now I only play a bit of social golf.
How do you protect yourself from injury? I get physio and massage on a weekly basis. I do shoulder strengthening exercises daily and I work on my flexibility.
Favourite pool to train in? The pool where I do all of my training, Southport Olympic Pool. It’s right on the Broadwater and has some of the nicest sunrises to make early training bearable.
How do you cope with flying long distances and what tips do you have for beating jet lag? I wear skins to help circulation, walk around the plane, stretch and wear a humidifier. I recommend that once you reach your destination, try to stay awake until night.
Pre-race fuel? Cereal and sardines on toast.
What do you do in your down time? Play golf, watch movies and sleep.

Kylie Palmer

Photo: Getty Images /Robert
CianfloneHometown? Brisbane.
Nickname? KP.
Age? 18.
Favourite event? 800m freestyle.
What keeps you getting up in the morning? My team members, who are always up for a laugh at 5am.
What’s your typical day? Wake up at 4.50am, train, come home and sleep, play with my dogs, have lunch, relax a bit more, train at 4pm, come home, have dinner, watch TV and go to bed.
Do you have a routine or ritual before a big competition? Just make sure I go to the toilet before I put my race suit on, otherwise it takes another 20 minutes to get my suit off and back on!
What does it feel like to win gold? Pretty special, and something that should never be taken for granted.
Best sporting memory? Susie O’Neill winning the 200m freestyle at the Sydney Olympics.
What keeps you motivated? Other people who are doing hard work-outs and giving it their all.
Favourite pool to train in? Lawnton pool, Brisbane.
How do you cope with flying long distances and what tips do you have for beating jet lag? I always wear jet skins, which are compression garments that keep the blood in my legs circulating. I also use a humidifier mask and I walk and stretch as much as possible.
What do you do in your down time? Hang out with friends, go to the beach, play putt putt, cook, play with my dogs and sleep.

Emily Seebohm

Photo: Getty Images/
Antony DicksonHometown? Adelaide.
Nickname? C-Bomb.
Age? 16.
Favourite event? 100m backstroke.
What keeps you getting up in the morning? Seeing my friends at the pool.
What’s your typical day? Wake up at 4.30am, train from 5–7.30am, go home for breakfast and get ready for school. School from 8.30am until 3pm. Train at 3.45pm until 6pm. Go home for dinner and watch TV for an hour. Bed at 8.30pm.
Do you have a routine or ritual before a big competition? Not really. I like to get to the pool early and do my warm up. Then I put my race gear on and wait for my race.
What does it feel like to smash a world record? It was the best feeling because I’d been close a few weeks before the trials.
Best sporting memory? Watching Ian Thorpe race.
What keeps you motivated? The chance to represent Australia at the Olympics.
Other sports/fitness regimes? I played netball and soccer and did gymnastics for a couple of years. I’ve also done a bit of boxing and I like to surf and ride my horse.
How do you protect yourself from injury? I always warm up and stretch before and after I race.
Favourite pool to train in? I really like the pool at Olympic Park, but the Nudgee pool where I train all the time is home for me.
Pre-race fuel? Powerade.
What do you do in your down time? Hang out with my friends, watch movies.

Kenrick Monk

Photo: Getty Images/
Leon NealHometown? Kellyville, New South Wales.
Nickname? Kenny.
Age? 20.
Favourite event? 200m freestyle and the relays.
What keeps you getting up in the morning? The ultimate dream – the Olympics – and hopefully a medal.
What’s your typical day? Wake up at 4.15am for training at 5am. Stretching and a two-hour swim session, then 1.5 hour of gym. Travel home or to work (I’m a learn-to-swim instructor). Return to the pool by 3.30pm for core stability/strengthening work for an hour. In the water again for two hours. Home, eat, sleep and do it all again!
Do you have a routine or ritual before a big competition? Ever since I can remember, I touch the water before I get in and push my goggles on with my arms after I ‘ve gotten on the blocks.
Best sporting memory? Seeing the Australian men’s relay team play air guitar at the Americans, after their victory.
Other sports/fitness regimes? I didn’t really play any other sport growing up, I just swam. I did play netball for my primary school. I was a great player, because I was two feet taller than the other players!
How do you protect yourself from injury? By stretching and eating right.
How do you cope with flying long distances and what tips do you have for beating jet lag? I wear a compression suit by Canterbury. You look at bit silly, walking through the airport with a shirt and boardies on over the suit, but it really works wonders with jet lag.
Pre-race fuel? Milk, I drink at least 3L a day, and I love sweet chilli chicken tenders with pasta.
What do you like to do in your down time? I love to surf. Otherwise I’m on the internet, going to movies, chilling out with friends or playing Playstation3.

Sophie Edington

Photo: Delly Carr/SportshootHometown? Loxton, South Australia.
Nickname? Eddo, Giggles.
Age? 23.
Favourite event? 100m backstroke.
What keeps you getting up in the morning? I love to race, so I guess you have to do the training! I also love to travel and meet people. Having a trip to look forward to always helps keep me motivated and focused.
What’s your typical day? Up at 6am, at the pool at 6.30am. Dry land work and stretching. Swim from 7–9am. Home for brekky. Gym from 11.30am–1pm. Home for lunch and then back to the pool at 4pm. I also fit in Pilates twice a week, spin class and physio and massage.
Do you have a routine or ritual before a big competition? Not really, I believe it’s what you have done in your preparation before the race that counts. I just make sure I’m smiling and enjoying the race, after all that’s what we train so hard for.
What does it feel like to smash a world record? Surreal, you have to keep telling yourself so it sinks in!
Best sporting memory? Commonwealth Games 2006 – swimming in front of a home crowd was amazing. To come home with three golds and be part of a world record-breaking relay team was awesome!
Pre-race fuel? A healthy diet is important... but with the amount of training I do, I also enjoy treats on occasions. KitKats are a favourite!
What do you like to do in your down time? I love catching up with friends, having a barbecue on my deck. I also have a new hobby of skydiving and do that any chance I get.