Local swimmer qualifies for Tokyo Olympic Games
21-year-old Michael McGlynn is the only South African swimmer in the Tokyo Olympics open water men's event
IT may have been the toughest race of his life, but Durban North resident, Michael McGlynn put it all on the line to qualify for the Olympic Games finishing 11th at the recent Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier in Setubal, Portugal.
McGlynn, this year’s Midmar Mile winner, qualified for the grueling 10km open water event in Tokyo by swimming a time of 2:02:56.70.
The 21-year-old is now the only South African swimmer in the open water men’s event and said it was a ‘dream come true’ securing his Olympic ticket.
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“My whole focus for this swim in Portugal was qualifying for the Olympics. It has been a dream of mine since the age of 12 to represent South Africa at the games. Finishing 11th gives me a bit of confidence knowing I can be right up there with the leading pack. I think the build-up to the qualifier was unreal, from securing the visas to preparing to get a flight to Portugal.
“Even on the day I felt things went wrong before they went right. I had broken my feeding stick the night before, then on the morning of the race I cut my finger and I had to borrow a wetsuit as the one sent to me didn’t fit. It was the toughest race of my life, but also one of the highlights in my career so far. That last lap to the finish line in particular was incredibly fast, it was like nothing I experienced before. In a way, despite all the obstacles and it being my first international event it was destined to be,” he said.
McGlynn had to wait anxiously after the race to know if he had secured a coveted ticket to Tokyo.
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“As I crossed the finish line I was just exhausted. I saw a few South African flags in the air but I wasn’t sure. One of the other competitors told me that Olympic medalist, Oussama Mellouli finished ahead of me and I thought he had claimed one of the continental spots that means you automatically qualify for the Olympics, so it was just an anxious wait for the final results.
“When they confirmed the news I remember speaking to my family and just being filled with such joy. I remember watching Chad le Clos on TV winning gold at the London Olympics and I pictured myself reaching the Olympics in eight years time and now the dream has become a reality, which is just incredible,” he said.
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