No pressure, says Corbett, as she gears up for second Olympics

Returning for her second appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year, swimmer Kaylene Corbett says she is feeling more excitement than pressure as she prepares to face the world’s best again.

Corbett produced the race of her life at the Tokyo Games three years ago, taking fifth place in the women’s 200m breaststroke final, which was won by compatriot and training partner Tatjana Smith.

While she is ranked 23rd in the world this year in her specialist event, the 24-year-old Commonwealth Games bronze medallist has already booked her place at next month’s Paris Games after finishing second behind Smith at the national championships in Gqeberha in April, where she clocked 2:23.71.

‘I can’t wait’

And though she set a standard of expectation by reaching the final in Tokyo, Corbett insisted this week she was not feeling too much pressure ahead of the Paris showpiece.

“If I told eight-year-old Kaylene that she would qualify for the Olympics, that would be enough,” Corbett said.

“This one almost feels like my first Olympics because there were no crowds and no support in Tokyo (due to Covid), so I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be so much fun and I can’t wait.

“I’m really excited and all the hard work has been done. Now it’s just a case of putting all the small pieces together over the next few weeks.”

Strong training group

Corbett said her preparation for the Games was made easier by the fact that she trained with one of the strongest groups in the country, including Olympic medal contenders Smith and Pieter Coetze.

The group, coached by Rocco Meiring in Pretoria, also received a boost recently when they were given a R500 000 sponsorship from HTH to assist with their build-up to the Games.

“It’s great being a part of this group and it really helps in terms of training,” Corbett said.

“Even on the days when you know you’re going to suffer, it makes it easier knowing you have friends who are going to be suffering with you. We motivate each other.”