Paris 2024 Olympics: Secret to 10km open water swimmer Nick Sloman making Games debut
He’s the first to admit he’s not the most talented swimmer around but Nick Sloman is an expert at certain things that have earned him a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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He’s smaller than some, was never a child prodigy and was so heartbroken when he missed the Tokyo Olympics he contemplated quitting his sport.
But Nick Sloman has become so good at other things they have earned him a ticket to the Paris Olympics to contest the 10km open water swim.
Sloman said his ability to learn from mistakes, work harder than most and a renewed passion for his sport are key to his success and instrumental in a recent result which has installed him as a dark horse for a medal at the Paris Games.
“I’m not particularly talented … it’s taken me 12 years to get to this position,” said the 26-year-old from the Noosa swim club and bronze medallist in the world team event in Japan last year.
“For me it’s been about hard work, doing the right things at the right time and making mistakes but making sure I learn from them.
“I also have a passion for the sport. I’m not a huge lad but I always wanted to win.
“I was never a child prodigy like Sam Short who made Australian team at 17. I’ve worked for it. I just always wanted it more.’’
With five years of international racing now to his name, Sloman has ridden the high and lows of his sport - including being overlooked for Tokyo Olympic selection in a heartbreak for the open water swimmer.
“I thought I was good enough to make it, I had been the Australian champion for two previous years and it came down to the end of the qualifying process and I got beaten mentally and physically and I’ve had to learn how to deal with that,” he said.
“I’ve never been stronger mentally, I’ve worked very hard with my psychologist.
“I’ve had to learn to have confidence in my approach.’’
Sloman just missed a medal at the world aquatics championships in Doha in February after being in the mix for the entire 10km race which qualified Australia spots on the startling in Paris.
He finished in an impressive fifth place - just four tenths of a second from winning a medal in an encouraging sign for the Seine river swim at the 2024 Olympics.
“This (making the Olympic team) is definitely amazing. It’s been a goal I have been trying for a long time,’’ he said.
“Just to touch that board in Doha was the best feeling. There were so many emotions.
“I know how tough it is to miss out and I wans; t going to let that happen this time .’’
His teammate Kyle Lee finished ninth in this race as the Dolphins qualified the full contingent of four open water swimmers for the first time.
Sloman, studying a Bachelor of Urban Development while training full-time, heads to altitude camp in Flagstaff Arizona later this month to start preparing for the Olympics.
Swimmers named to race the 10km events in Paris are Nicholas Sloman, 26, Peregian Beach
QLD, Chelsea Gubecka, Salisbury, QLD, Moesha Johnson, 26, Gold Coast, Kyle Lee, 22, Osborne Park.
Gubecka was the first athlete named on the team last year with all others confirmed on Wednesday.
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Originally published as Paris 2024 Olympics: Secret to 10km open water swimmer Nick Sloman making Games debut
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