James Magnussen: World Championships vital for Paris Olympics and commercial opportunities

Australia’s swimmers will warm up for the Paris Olympics at the world titles, and this is also their chance to put their names in front of the big brands, writes James Magnussen.

If Australia’s swimmers want to cash in on the Paris Olympics and set themselves up for life, then next month’s world championships in Fukuoka, Japan are the golden opportunity they can’t afford to waste.

A lot of swimmers think the big bucks automatically flow in after they win at the Olympics, but the smart ones know that’s often too late.

The salary of a swimmer just to represent their country is barely enough to cover their expenses, so if they want to make any real money, that will have to come from sponsors and ambassador roles.

And despite what most people think, most of that money comes in the lead-up to the Olympics – not after – because that’s when sponsors are looking for the best swimmers to promote their brands.

It’s all about timing and the world championships held the year before the Olympics is the chance to hit the jackpot, because that’s when things go to another level.

From a swimming perspective, there’s already a big incentive, because the statistics show that Olympic champions usually perform well at the world championships held the year before.

So, for anyone who is serious about winning, next month’s world titles are the last big race they’ll have against those top competitors before the Olympics. It’s the chance for a little bit of psychological games and getting in the head of the competitors one last time.

James Magnussen after signing on as a brand ambassador for the Commonwealth Bank before the 2012 London Olympics.

The other big thing is the commercial opportunities. This is when sponsors are starting to look at who they bring on board for their Olympic campaigns, which will start kicking off the back end of this year.

So, if you’re a swimmer heading to next year’s Olympics and you want to make a living and set yourself up for life, the chance to put yourself in the spotlight starts right now – with the Australian trials.

There’s always going to be some opportunities after the Olympics with sponsors who are associated with swimming, such as Speedo and Uncle Toby’s, but the really big money sponsors like banks, car makers, electronics and big international brands tend to go into the wilderness after the Olympics, so it can often be a bit quieter again for a couple of years.

My advice – don’t wait! But it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword. When I won my first world title in 2011, it was a massive boost going into the 2012 London Olympics, but there’s also a lot more pressure and expectation.

Rising star Mollie O’Callaghan. Picture: Nigel Hallett

I think we’re in a really good place as a swim team right now because we’ve got a good mix of established stars who have been there and done it and won gold in Tokyo as well as up and comers.

The ones who are already in the spotlight because of their results in Tokyo – like Ariarne Titmus. Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown – they already know how to juggle the training and the sponsorship commitments.

But for the younger athletes that are wanting to really make a name for themselves, this is their chance to shine.

Luckily we’ve got a really good crop, with swimmers like Mollie O’Callaghan, who haven’t tasted that individual success at that level yet. They will be hungry to prove themselves at this world champs and become household names in anticipation for the Paris Olympics.

Their timing could not be better because international swimming is moving at breakneck speed at the moment. The quickest it has in recent history.

That’s exciting, but if our swimmers want their rewards, they need to stay at the pointy end in Australia.

Originally published as James Magnussen: World Championships vital for Paris Olympics and commercial opportunities