Q: Is Spain able to step up at a house World Championships in Barcelona and what would represent success?
A: Spain is all the time proud to prepare a global competitors. After the success of the (1992) Olympic Video games and the success of Barcelona 2003 (FINA World Championships), Spain has to lift the bar even greater, so they’re able to placed on a well-organized competitors that might be thrilling to look at. With the diving competitors in opposition to the backdrop of the town, open-water within the port – I went to the check occasion a few weeks in the past, and it was simply superb to see the swimmers racing within the port – and swimming within the basketball area (Palau Sant Jordi), the whole lot might be well-organized to point out what Spain is able to.
As for the swimming staff, we’ve got targeted on how we are able to enhance on the swims from the trials in Pontevedra for the Championships. With our staff philosophy we all know we are able to create probabilities to make the semi-finals, get to the finals, and perhaps even win medals, and we wish to make sure that we do the whole lot each day to make the swimmers quicker within the 16 weeks we’ve got for preparation. By means of this focus I believe we are going to create extra potentialities. Clearly inside the staff we’ve got people comparable to Mireia (Belmonte), Rafa Muñoz, Melani Costa, Erika Villaécija, and Aschwin Wildeboer, who might be aiming for greater than the ultimate (of their foremost occasions).
Q: Is there a way of pleasure in regards to the championships in Barcelona and what stage of expectation do you sense in Spain by way of what the host-nations swimmers would possibly obtain?
A: They count on some good outcomes, they count on to see as many swimmers as potential in finals, they count on the highest swimmers to win medals, to be on the rostrum and maybe even hearken to the nationwide anthem. Sport is essential in Spain, the Spaniards take pleasure in each enjoying and watching sport, and there’s all the time one thing happening in Barcelona – System 1, handball, basketball, and naturally now swimming. It’s a really cosmopolitan metropolis, and I believe they’re trying ahead to seeing what we are able to produce.
There’s a massive focus in Barcelona on the Championships, and that in fact could be a good factor and a foul factor. It’s a great factor as a result of normally the 12 months after the Olympics it’s troublesome to get again to work and to refocus on preparation, choice insurance policies, get again to racing, and so it’s been a great state of affairs for us (to regain our focus). However there’s a little bit of stress, we’ve got to do effectively, so we don’t discuss it, we don’t concentrate on it, however the actuality is that folks count on us to do effectively. In fact that is regular, it’s a significant funding, and whereas the World Championships is clearly not the Olympics it’s nonetheless an enormous quantity of labor and funding, not simply from the organizing committee, but additionally from the (Spanish Swimming) Federation, the town of Barcelona, and the numerous volunteers. There might be loads of schoolkids going to the morning periods to look at the heats, and so it’s not simply the swimming neighborhood concerned, it’s much more than that. In fact there can even be many individuals going to go to Barcelona on the finish of July to have a great time, and with the World Championships happening on the identical time, it’s going to be thrilling.
Q: All Spanish eyes might be on Mireia, a confirmed drive on the highest of ranges. This would be the first massive house – and home-base metropolis at that – worldwide of her profession. How do you assume she is going to deal with it – and the way does she reply to what some would possibly describe as “stress”? And what about you, the information to Spain’s largest swimming asset: nervous?
A: I believe that the step Mireia made final 12 months gave her not essentially confidence however the capability to step again and observe the state of affairs with a special mindset. So sure she is aware of it’s a house World Championship and sure she is aware of she’s the primary swimmer in Spain, sure she is aware of that she made historical past as a result of she’s the one swimmer that educated in Spain to win Olympic medals, and all people is anticipating Mireia to win. She is aware of all of this however we by no means discuss it, we’ve by no means had a dialog about it – perhaps at first of the 12 months in January 2013 we stated “That is what’s going to occur” and he or she stated “Sure, I do know” – and we’re simply specializing in the preparation. That’s what we did final 12 months, that’s what we try to breed, as a result of the way in which we did it final 12 months is a working components, and we’re simply repeating the identical – concentrate on the preparation, benefit from the expertise as a lot as potential, and when it’s time to race, race the most effective you’ll be able to.
Q: London might need been slightly completely different, right here she’s in entrance of her house city, so the ideas should move by her thoughts that there’s a stage of expectation. So despite the fact that you don’t discuss it do you assume she’s in a position to put it out of her thoughts and easily concentrate on on the brink of carry out?
A: Sure, I believe it’s the case as a result of we wish to flip that right into a constructive state of affairs. We don’t wish to say that half of the individuals on the pool are Spanish and so they need you to win a medal and do effectively, and you have to do that and you have to try this. We’d somewhat say that half of the individuals on the pool are cheering for you and supporting you, you should take that power and switch it into being quicker within the water or a quicker response off the block or a quicker final 25. We actually wish to flip it right into a constructive second and stroll on air – if it’s a warmth or semi-final or ultimate and the group is cheering for you, it’s most likely the most effective power you’ll be able to take in.
Q: And what about you, the information to Spain’s largest swimming asset: nervous?
A: I was, however I’m not any extra. (Having stated that,) I nonetheless get actually nervous throughout a ultimate or an essential second when the swimmer has to provide a specific time. The coach that tells you he doesn’t get nervous is a lair, we get nervous, I attempt to maintain the unhealthy nerves to myself and use the great ones to egg my swimmers on. For me it’s a problem to breed what we did final 12 months with Mireia in Barcelona, being at house, and to make individuals completely satisfied. Individuals have stated to me “Fred that might be superb if Mireia might would a medal, that might be unbelievable, we’ll be so completely satisfied.” Lots of people say this, it’s not nearly successful a medal or swimming this or that point, it’s about making individuals completely satisfied. For me to be a part of that is fulfilling, it’s a problem and I’m doing my finest to take it on. In fact some nervousness is sweet and as a coach that’s what I’m searching for, as a result of to begin with with Mireia we’re going to have the chance to race in Barcelona most likely solely as soon as, and with the connection we’ve got we wish to benefit from the expertise. But in addition we’ve got to take (the chance) as a lot as potential and use that power for your self. Us coaches – and even the swimmers – actually benefit from the type of nerves you get every year in case you’re fortunate, perhaps it’s solely as soon as each 4 years. So it’s thrilling, that is what we would like, we wish to get nervous, we wish to stay awake the day earlier than a ultimate, we wish to benefit from the final espresso collectively earlier than going into the calling room, that type of factor.
Q: On condition that these might be house world championships, how has that affected, if in any respect, your long-term cyclical planning for Rio 2016?
A: It’s truly a fairly good state of affairs by way of the timing as a result of the truth that we’ve got the World Championships in Barcelona has allowed me to refocus fairly shortly after the Olympics, and say “Look we can not mess up, it’s the World Championships and we have to carry out.” So it was good for me to place the swimmers again into coaching and to acknowledge those that wished to get again to work and people who didn’t. So I made some fairly exhausting decisions, I needed to break up the group that I’ve had for the previous two years and concentrate on those that wish to go for it.
From an Olympic perspective, it offers me extra flexibility for the 12 months arising. For instance, subsequent 12 months we’re not going to fret an excessive amount of about racing, we’re to not fear an excessive amount of about instances or getting near a world document or being top-ranked in so many occasions. We’re simply going to maintain coaching, clearly, and maintain the identical quantity of urgency in what we do. But when we wish to do open water, we are going to do open water, if we wish to race internationally, we’ll go and do some travelling, we’re going to actually benefit from the swimming season, after which (after that) we’ve got two years once we’re going to concentrate on the preparation for Rio.
Q: Mireia lived by a time of disruption after successful two silver medals at London 2012. Have been you in contact together with her throughout that interval and what recommendation, if any, had been you in a position to give to her?
A: Sure, we had been in contact, I noticed her a few instances, we had just a few chats, we had been on the cellphone and a few instances on WhatsApp (Messenger). It’s been difficult, it’s not been simple however the benefit of the entire state of affairs is that Mireia knew what she wished, she wanted to have a break and do her personal factor, attempt various things – she went to France to check out completely different teaching – she wanted the time to mirror. It takes time, you can’t do that in per week or two. I stated “Mireia you should take pleasure in what you’ve completed, you should have a good time your success.” She wanted time to make up her thoughts, that took about 4 months, and ultimately she got here again to sq. one – she went to take a look at one thing else, it didn’t work, she most likely wanted time to appreciate that what she had been doing was a working components if I can put it that means, and he or she got here again to the first step. It was essential for her to mirror on what she’d completed, I believe that was the important thing for Mireia after the Olympics.
That you must perceive one factor as effectively, and for me it’s very attention-grabbing as a result of I’ve coached within the UK and the English tradition. Right here in Spain or France or Italy it’s very, very completely different. We dwell on feelings, we dwell by relationships, and a state of affairs you can cope with in 10 seconds with a British swimmer goes to take months with anyone else (right here). Every little thing’s about love, ardour, I hate you, I such as you, it’s the way in which Mediterranean persons are. All of it comes all the way down to feelings, once I was within the UK it was a bit extra logical. So it was attention-grabbing (and obligatory) for her to mirror and that’s what she did.
Q: So for you it was essential to present Mireia her personal area, to work it out for herself, and in the long term it has resolved itself. Now she is completely satisfied once more, so it has turned out lastly in a constructive means.
A: Sure, it was troublesome and but the whole lot completed effectively. If Mireia is completely satisfied, she will do something. Final 12 months on the Olympics she was completely satisfied, she actually loved the expertise, she caught to the plan from Day One to Day Eight, she was very skilled, however she was a contented camper. She didn’t have that in September-October, she wasn’t proud of what she was doing, she didn’t actually wish to be again coaching full-time, and he or she was having fun with various things – media, trend, going out, mates, household. All of this takes time, however it’s not everlasting, and there comes a day if you notice “Now I’ve to return to the pool and work.”
Q: What was Mireia’s stage of health like when she returned to coaching with you – and what did it’s important to do to get again to the sort of stage she was at on the way in which to London 2012?
A: I used to be anticipating Mireia to be not so good within the water and fairly good on land, however actually it was the reverse, and I used to be shocked. She was truly fairly good within the water and never so good on land, which, on the finish of the day, might be higher, as a result of she swims a number of occasions and he or she’s extra of an cardio swimmer than a sprinter. Having stated that, she’s completed some coaching, she’s swum on the nationwide coaching centre at Sant Cugat, the place the coaches there did a great job together with her, and all I did was put her again to work within the water and begin to get her match within the fitness center.
Q: You might be recognized for favouring cross-training and getting your swimmers match not solely in water however in different environments. Are you able to inform us what workouts/actions you get your squad to do past the pool – and what advantages stem from that (i.e.,. why do it)?
A: My considering is {that a} swimmer is an athlete first, so we don’t simply swim, we do loads of completely different sports activities. Staying (solely) within the pool, you miss loads of alternatives. Getting stronger and fitter is troublesome in case you simply keep within the pool. If you wish to get sturdy, you should go to the fitness center to carry weights, if you wish to get match you should do some conditioning. Right here typical coaching contains twice a day within the pool, however we additionally do one thing on land twice a day, together with operating, rowing, cross-country snowboarding, biking, cross-fit with weight-lifting, strengthening and conditioning, core work, medication ball, many alternative issues. The thought behind that is to begin with to get sturdy – and you have to carry weights to get sturdy, whether or not you’re going to do repetitions, weight 90%, 100% of most repetition, physique weight – and attempt to get a excessive stage of health so as to have the ability to get well higher. Within the case of Mireia, on the World Champs she’s going to race daily, and for instance on Day One she might race 4 instances with 200 medley and 400 free. So if in case you have a excessive stage of health, you’ll be able to get well quicker and higher, and can be capable of swim at a excessive stage extra usually.
Q: On this ultimate countdown to Barcelona, has Mireia obtained again to the place she was a 12 months in the past?
A: I might say that she’s most likely higher than (this time) final 12 months within the pool, and roughly the identical within the fitness center. I believe final 12 months she was slightly stronger going into the Olympics than this 12 months, however solely in some facets of what we do outdoors of the pool, not the whole lot. I believe she was fitter on the cross-fit, she was most likely operating higher than now, she was most likely higher on issues like body-weight workouts. This 12 months she’s fairly good in core work, she’s fairly good in weight-lifting, heavy-weight stuff, however within the water she’s swimming higher than final 12 months.
Q: Mireia has a giant and numerous program to get by: is there a “precedence” occasion (what’s that and why) or are all issues equal?
A: I believe they’re all the identical, though there’s a pure precedence that emerged from the outcomes of the Olympics. Freestyle and butterfly are sort of essential, however I might not say they’re extra essential than the others as a result of the way in which we strategy it’s to try to maintain the cardboard open with out imposing any limits on Mireia, so if it doesn’t go effectively on Day One there’s nonetheless Day Two and Day Three, and many others. That’s what occurred on the Olympics – if we had targeted on two or three occasions we might have missed out on medals for certain. As Mireia’s coach I believe the 800 free, 400 free, 200 fly is an excellent combo, from a coaching perspective it actually works effectively collectively. Mixing distance and medley, why not, despite the fact that 200 medley is a really, very particular race, and it’s troublesome. However for the time being we’re preserving the whole lot open. If we communicate once more in a 12 months I’ll most likely let you know one thing new (completely different).
Q: Which occasion does she like finest – and which least?
A: In all probability those that she likes least are the 800 free and 1500 free, however that’s simply because she’s not very skilled – despite the fact that she received a medal (in 800 free) – and it’s not one thing that she used to swim. She has much more expertise in 200 fly and 200 and 400 medley as a result of that’s what she’s completed for a few years, so she has extra confidence in these occasions, despite the fact that now she is aware of that she’s had extra success in freestyle and fly than medley. I believe those that she actually likes to race are the 200 fly and the 200 and 400 medley, and my guess is that she’s going to begin having fun with 400 free increasingly more.
Q: Are you able to describe what Mireia is wish to work with? (ie., Does she have a excessive work ethic; does she query what she is requested to do; is she all the time engaged; is she enjoyable to work with; is she difficult to work with)?
A: She’s very skilled, she actually enjoys coaching, she all the time arrives on or forward of time, she by no means arrives late for a coaching session. She does what she has to do, and generally asks for extra. She actually fights (works exhausting), and simply final night time she was quicker than the boys. All coaches wish to have a Mireia Belmonte of their squad, she’s unbelievable. One other good factor with Mireia is that on the finish of just about each session she involves see me, and we discuss for something from 10 seconds to half-an-hour. “What do take into consideration this, what about that set, perhaps I ought to do higher?” She’s concerned in her swimming, there are some swimmers who end the session and so they depart (instantly), however it’s essential for her (to be concerned).
Q: You’ve simply highlighted a few of her strengths, is there room for enchancment in different areas?
A: She could possibly be quicker, so pace is one thing we must have a look at, as a result of she’s extra like a constant swimmer than a break up swimmer, and she will develop (extra) pace. We nonetheless must do loads of work underwater – she’s fairly good underwater, however nonetheless that’s one thing that we might enhance so much. She’s not a really tall swimmer, so she might additionally work on method – her butterfly is fairly good, her freestyle is fairly good, however we are able to enhance her breaststroke and backstroke. There’s additionally loads of work to do on land – she’s made loads of progress, and I bear in mind the primary time we went to the fitness center she couldn’t do any pull-ups, now she will do many with 10/15 kilo weights on her legs. So there’s been loads of enchancment however nonetheless there’s a protracted option to go along with the land work. So for a coach it’s thrilling and for her to know that she will nonetheless enhance it’s thrilling, and the longer term is shiny for Mireia if she retains doing what she’s doing now.
Q: Normally, how do you assess progress on the squad in Sabadell? Is there a particular or favoured set you want to make use of to check the swimmers – and in that case, might you share it with us?
A: We’ve labored with a reasonably large group from the top of August/1st September to the trials (in spring 2013), and I coach from 50 free to 25km and much more – we’ve got two guys who do the World cup 88km. So it’s a really open group from the age of 17 to 32 years previous, and I believe that’s the power of the Sabadell group. With the variety and expertise that we’ve got, all people has their very own goal, and all people comes to coach figuring out what they need. The philosophy of what we do is just about based mostly on exhausting work and being concerned within the membership. For me personally, I believe I might most likely coach in a single or two locations in Spain, however not many, and I obtained fortunate to finish up in Sabadell, coming in behind the legacy of Paulus Wildeboer. Paulus and I’ve an analogous philosophy, though we do some issues in another way, and there are issues that he does and I don’t and vice versa. However the general philosophy is similar so for me it’s been a stroke of luck to be teaching at Sabadell after Paulus. There’s nothing a lot I can let you know a few particular coaching set – the Sabadell youngsters generally do 400 butterfly or 800 medley in competitions, issues like that. We wish to go and race open water, or participate in a 10km run in Sabadell or Barcelona, and simply problem ourselves daily.
Q: What number of of your swimmers from Sabadell might be swimming on the World Championships?
A: There might be six, together with Mireia, Judit Ignacio (100 & 200 butterfly), Marc Sanchez (800 & 1500 free), Aschwin Wildeboer (50, 100, 200 backstroke), a swimmer from Argentina (freestyle & backstroke), and a man swimming the open water.
Final 12 months we had been very proud to have 8 swimmers going to the Olympics, together with two 18-year-old ladies collaborating within the Olympics for the primary time – Judit (Ignacio) and (Claudia) Dasca – so for me that was fairly a giant achievement. We took a photograph on the finish of the Olympics and I’m certain all people has it hanging someplace in the home. We’re not like some massive American packages, we’re only a regular membership, so final 12 months I believe we did fairly effectively.
The Olympic trials final 12 months in Malaga was an incredible competitors for us and for the Spanish staff. We talked about emotion earlier, and it was simply completely different (in Malaga). My assistant coach was crying each time one in every of our swimmers made the minimize, the swimmers had been cheering, the nationwide efficiency director was leaping up and down in his chair, it was actually fulfilling. This 12 months it was decrease key, however figuring out that it was for the World Champs in Barcelona, it was nonetheless fairly tense – one of many ladies made the 200 fly minimize by 0.01, and I needed to refocus everybody once more after that.
I’m actually trying ahead to going again into the (World Championships) area and to really feel that rigidity. I used to be chatting with a colleague just a few days in the past, for us it’s a drug, it’s the drug that we would like, and we are able to solely get it on only a few events. Now it’s coming, and if the World Champs could possibly be tomorrow, I might join them proper now.
As I stated earlier than, the timing (of the World Champs) is actually good for us. If we do effectively in Barcelona then we are able to do issues in another way (subsequent 12 months). As a coach I’m trying ahead to subsequent 12 months and attempting new issues. I talked earlier about pace and doing various kinds of work within the fitness center. We truly began right here in Sierra Nevada (on the Spanish pre-Worlds coaching camp) doing one thing new that I believe no person else has completed – we’re utilizing an ergometer, a rowing machine which we’re utilizing like a swimming bench to breed the butterfly motion, and measuring issues like depth and velocity. As I stated, subsequent 12 months shouldn’t be about not coaching or taking a vacation, it’s about doing issues in another way. For a coach it’s very thrilling to have the ability to do some experimentation as a result of that’s one thing that we lack in our every day life.
For me teaching is a ardour. Once we had a staff assembly the opposite day I informed the swimmers that most likely primary for me is the connection, from the psychology with the swimmers and the way in which you discuss and attempt to persuade them that they will do it, to the 20 minutes earlier than the calling room. Quantity two might be how I could make my swimmers higher – fixed considering, fixed suggestions, asking if that’s the most effective I may give my swimmer: was that session the most effective that I might give them at this time, this morning, tonight, or can I do higher? Why is Mireia not doing this or that, how can I enhance? In the event you get on prime of that, individuals from the science subject can then make you assume much more, it’s superb.
