Madeline Groves Australia’s proud women’s 200m butterfly tradition
MADDIE Groves has continued Australia’s proud women’s 200m butterfly tradition in stunning fashion to follow in the footsteps of swimming greats.
Swimming
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MADDIE Groves continued Australia’s proud women’s 200m butterfly tradition in stunning fashion on day five, winning a silver medal in Rio to follow in the footsteps of idols Susie O’Neill, Petria Thomas and Jess Schipper.
The 21-year-old Queenslander finished a fingernail away from gold, and attributed the stunning result to mentor Michael Bohl, her mother and a healthy dose of fate.
Groves went to Wilson State School with Bohl’s daughter and now-national teammate Georgia. As Bohl’s reputation continued to grow and high school loomed, Groves’ mum Claire seized her chance.
She approached Bohl at a school carnival, asking him to consider coaching her daughter.
“I think he kind of just said yes to be polite and it’s worked out pretty well,” a beaming Groves said after finishing 0.03sec behind Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia in a thrilling last-lap dogfight.
“Maddie joined my squad and she just went from strength to strength,” Bohl said.
“She was average the first year, the second year she made the finals at nationals, the third year she won medals.’’
Groves said Bohl helped pull her out of a funk when she took a break from swimming four years ago.
“I was in Year 12 and wasn’t swimming. I don’t really know what I was doing,” Groves said.
“It just means so much for me to be here now and I couldn’t have done this without him.
“He’s been my biggest supporter for so long and he’s been so encouraging and understanding of me.
“I knew that my break from swimming was just a break. I wasn’t done with it.
“I always felt like I wanted to get the best out of myself and find out what I could do and a silver medal at an Olympics is pretty amazing.”
Groves was one year old when ‘‘Madame Butterfly’’ O’Neill won Australia’s last Olympic gold in the event at Atlanta 1996. She has always been “a huge Susie fan” and leans on her for advice and banter on social media.
As much as being dubbed the new Madame Butterfly would be an honour, Groves has another nickname in mind.
“One of my hockey coaches called me Mad Dog when I was about 11,” she said.
“It’s a bit of a classic name that I’ve actually tried to bring back myself.
“Not too many people call me that but if you could quote that in all your articles, we’ll get that restarted.’’
Originally published as Madeline Groves Australia’s proud women’s 200m butterfly tradition
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