Gold Coast Olympic hopefuls Chelsea Hodges, Tristan Hollard on taking on 2021

Home workouts, weekends to themselves and time with friends and family – 2020 wasn’t what these Gold Coast Olympic swimming hopefuls expected. But they’re going to turn it around.

HOME workouts, weekends to themselves and time with friends and family – 2020 wasn’t what Gold Coast Olympic swimming hopefuls Chelsea Hodges and Tristan Hollard expected.

The delay of the Tokyo Games provided them both an opportunity to explore other areas of life before returning to the pool and according to three-time junior Australia team representative Ms Hodges the time away from the water wasn’t all bad.

Olympic swimming hopeful Chelsea Hodges is counting on 2021. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We took a bit of a break and used 2020 as a restart for preparing for the Olympics,” said Ms Hodges who is aiming to make the Olympic team in the 100m breaststroke.

“It allowed us to live a semi-normal life for a little bit and do things on our weekends like hiking that we don’t normally get to do.”

FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

Using her down time to continue a Bachelor of Nursing at Griffith University, the 19-year-old will turn her attention to the Olympic trials in June 2021 and try to achieve her New Year goal of making the Olympic team for the first time.

Mr Hollard, 24, who moved to the Gold Coast from Newcastle in 2016 said the pair were lucky they have time on their side.

“I’m sure there’s some athletes who feel like they’re running out of time and this delay hasn’t been great for them,” the backstroke swimmer said.

Olympic swimming hopefuls Chelsea Hodges and Tristan Hollard are counting on 2021 being their year while playing with a display from Gold Coast Balloons at Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. Picture Glenn Hampson

“It wasn’t ideal to have the Olympics postponed but it’s been the biggest break we’ve had in years and allowed me to spend more time with people and have a mental refresh.”

Mr Hollard went professional in 2018 but has missed a spot on the Australian team for various events twice through misfortune.

“In 2018 I missed the team by half a second and the next year got food poisoning during trials so I missed again,” Mr Hollard said.

“Obviously there’s been no team in 2020 because of COVID, so hopefully 2021 is my year.”