Dubai: Recent Commonwealth Games 200-metre and 4x200-metre freestyle gold medallist Thomas Fraser-Holmes hopes battling through fatigue will help him become a more resilient swimmer ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The 22-year-old Australian has had a gruelling schedule heading into the seven-stage Fina/Mastbank Swimming World Cup, but he still managed to win gold medals in the 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle and 200-metre and 400-metre individual medley in round one of the series in Qatar, last week.
He added two more gold medals in the ongoing second round of the series in Dubai on Sunday, in the 400 metre freestyle and the 400-metre individual medley, where he broke a World Cup and Commonwealth record with a time of 3:58.69. But, he admitted he was nowhere near his best.
“It’s been a big six weeks and my body is just not co-operating with me right now,” he said after Sunday’s record. “But, no matter how tired and sore I am, I’ve just got to get up and compete to the best of my ability.
“My coach has told me to keep putting myself out there no matter how tired I am. I’ve got to put all this in the bank and hopefully I can pull all these experiences out in Rio.
“It’s only going to put me in good stead for 24 months from now, I’m really excited about the next two years but I’m nowhere near my potential and I’ve got a lot to work on.”
Fraser-Holmes could look to current women’s series’ leader and back-to-back 2012 and 2013 series’ champion Katinka Hosszu of Hungary for inspiration.
Hosszu, 25, won seven gold medals and set three world records in Qatar last week. She showed no sign of letting up in Dubai either, where she won a further four gold medals and set another world record on day one of the second round on Sunday. Her advice to Fraser-Holmes was to fight through the agony.
“Last year I was swimming four events in the afternoon and I was so tired I was just happy to be on the podium,” she said. “This year I’ve won all four of my events and I’ve been pretty close to breaking world records in all of them. I’ve improved a lot since last year so I’m really happy.
“I’m used to it now I guess, I’ve been doing this three years now and have practice focusing on each race as it comes, and not thinking about future events.
“I believe mental strength is as important as physical strength, racing is mental as well as physical. You always have to be focused, for me focusing on myself and my lane is the best way for me to do my maximum.
“I don’t feel the tiredness yet, I won’t feel it until after the meet because I’m usually really excited to race.”
