Hillcrest swimmer aims to realize Olympic dream in Rio

FOR swimmer, René Warnes (23) from Hillcrest, a gold and bronze medal at the recent All-Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo meant her life-long dream of competing in the Olympic Games in Rio next year are back on track.

A disappointing 2015 South African National Champs in April threatened her plans; however, a return to peak condition after her participation in the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation-backed Elite Athlete Development Programme (EADP) saw her once more pursing her dream.

“I started swimming competitively when I was eight and for as long as I can remember, all I’ve ever wanted to do was compete in the Olympics and do the best that I can there,” said Warnes.

“I didn’t have a good nationals competition, and so it was great to get a couple of results in the All-Africa Games and get the confidence back up again, especially after all the hard work I’ve been putting in recently.”

“My All-Africa Games times weren’t great but the Tunisians, Egyptians and Algerians really have improved since last year’s All-Africa Games in Mozambique so we definitely still had to work for our results,” she added.

Warnes’ below par nationals effort led to her coach, Graham Hill’s decision not to send her to the Mare Nostrum – a three-meet series around the Mediterranean Sea – and instead revisit her conditioning régime.

“After nationals I needed to get things back on track and my coach (Graham Hill) felt I really needed to work on my conditioning. I’d been in the gym since I was fifteen but Graham felt I need a change in my programme, and so I joined the EADP and started training at Prime.”

Warnes is hoping for an Olympic qualifying time in the KZN Champs in December. For Hill, who has been involved in the Olympics process for some time and as such has developed a keen appreciation of what is required for Olympic success, the next two months are vital ahead of the Rio games in 2016.

“This last run of eight months before the Olympics is absolutely crucial, especially the phase from now to January,” said Hill.

Warnes added, “Everything I’m doing now is geared towards preparing for Rio. Our trials are in April so that will obviously be an important stepping stone and for now its just about putting in the hard work.”