AFTER the agonising disappointment of missing out on the London Olympic Games four years ago, the elation of qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro has outweighed the disappointment for Elite Athlete Development Programme swimming star Myles Brown, who will represent South Africa at the world showpiece in August.
With one chance to qualify at the recent South African Swimming Championships, Brown knew that he had the ability to be on the South African team however getting through the qualification process was the biggest challenge in his 400m freestyle bid.
“It’s a massive relief that I have finally qualified. It is up there with one of the biggest moments of my career!I just missed out on the London Games so it’s an awesome feeling knowing that I am going to be going to the Olympic Games later this year,” said Brown.Despite the fact that qualification is in the bag, Brown and the rest of the South African swimming team have got a number of events and pre-Olympic camps to attend and realises there is no time to rest on his laurels.
“The year started with trying to get into the best shape possible for the qualifiers but now the real hard work starts for myself and the rest of the team. I have to start stepping it up now and get prepared to race overseas in the build-up to Rio as we leave South Africa on 19 May for a long period of preparation, starting with a two week stay in Doha followed by the Mare Nostrum Series,” he said.
Brown’s preparations for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games finish in the host nation following more competitive swimming in the Western Hemisphere.
“We will be swimming in a few gala’s in Fort Lauderdale in the United States before we jet off for Brazil where we will be preparing just outside Rio. This will probably be the most important preparation for us as we will be acclimatizing as well as getting over any jetlag that we might have right before the event. There is still a long way to go but I am just really excited for the opportunity to represent my country at the biggest sporting event in the world!” The role that the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation, the Elite Athlete Development Programme as well as coach Graham Hill have played in getting Brown to the position that he is in is not lost on the 24-year old as he realises the enormity of his achievement.
“I
