Dolphins to embark on an extra long pre-Olympic camp as best preparation for ‘golden generation’

The Australian Dolphins are set to embark on an extended pre-Olympic camp, with plans for the entire team to fly to France three days after trials wrap.

The Dolphins swim team will escape the “noise” in Australia almost immediately, heading to Canet in France this week for a pre-pre-Olympic staging camp to begin the countdown to the Paris Olympic Games.

Such is the desire of team bosses to cocoon the Australian swim team and escape the glare and pressure that comes with being the world No.1 team that head coach Rohan Taylor has booked the team to fly out of the country on Wednesday.

The swim team will fly directly to Canet in the south-east of France for 12 days before transferring to the official staging camp in Chartres.

The big budget build up to the Paris Olympics is set to cost Swimming Australia a bomb, estimated to be in excess of $1 million, but it’s seen as an essential high performance requirement for the golden generation.

The Dolphins are to embark on an extended lead up to Paris to ensure the ‘golden generation’ are in the best shape for Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

But, the five-week European build up to the Games does come with its own set of problems.

When Australia last visited Chartres ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, athletes complained about boredom during the long days between sessions while some swimmers lost weight due to the poor quality of food options available at their accommodation.

To offset this, the Dolphins are taking their own private chef on tour to ensure the swimmers remain completely dialled in with their nutrition and dietary requirements in the final weeks of preparation before Paris.

Taylor has left no stone unturned in making sure the team has everything required to perform at their peak in Paris.

“The big challenge will be getting to Europe and settling in,” Taylor said.

“We are really planned and prepared for that.

“Getting over there early, recovering, resting, training and re-prepping. Having a trials that is close to the meet, that is a really positive thing going for us lately.

“But we’re now going to Europe so we need to maximise that and that is why we’re going early just to make sure we are right.”

One concern, raised privately by athletes, is the quick turnaround from the Olympic trials to airport departure.

Dolphins Head Coach says the extended trip will allow coaches significant time with each swimmer. Picture: Supplied

If you’re a rookie on the national team or indeed a teenager, five weeks is a long time away from the comforts of home before you have to compete in the biggest meet of your life.

Olympic trials is also the biggest and most stressful week of their young lives, with little time to digest their accomplishment before they’re essentially relocating their life abroad for the next eight weeks.

Taylor says bringing the team together early will help build team morale and allow the coaches to focus on getting every athlete dialled in with their rest, recovery and final touches of preparation without distraction.

“The first three weeks is about this, recovery, build a bit of work back up and then we move again,” he said.

“Then the next 10 days are about our traditional staging (camp). We normally do those (first) three weeks at home and then go into a staging camp. But we’re doing three weeks over there.

“We just have to make sure they are all very clear what we are providing and what opportunities there are.”

Ariarne Titmus has already vocalised her approach to shutting out the noise after an overwhelming amount of support throughout the trials. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

While athletes will be afforded time to relax and enjoy France over the next few weeks - which will undoubtedly prompt ‘summer holiday’ cracks from critics if they’re posting tourist-style selfies on socials - Taylor knows the team being in camp allows them to block out that external noise.

“What covid taught us is that we were capable of staying focussed and staying on point with whatever the distraction,” he said.

“Now Covid was a distraction but we’ve broadened the messaging to you just got to stay doing what you do, we will provide an environment that supports you.

“We realise we just stick firm to what we do, whatever that noise is outside is just noise.”

Originally published as Dolphins to embark on an extra long pre-Olympic camp as best preparation for ‘golden generation’