Rio Confidential: Aussie swim couple focus on gold, Macca’s hard to find, Kyle Chalmers’ nervy wait

FOR about 10 minutes tomorrow Aussie swimmer Mitch Larkin will be like a single man. He will take absolutely zero interest in his girlfriend Emily Seebohm.

Mitch Larkin and Emily Seebohm. Picture: Adam Head

IT’S the split Mitch Larkin and Emily Seebohm simply have to have.

TOUGH LOVE

For about 10 minutes tomorrow Larkin will be like a single man, focused on only himself. He will take absolutely zero interest or notice of what his girlfriend Seebohm is doing in the pool.

In most ordinary circumstances it would be grounds for a break up, but in this case Larkin has no other choice.

Thanks to the Olympic competition schedule, Seebohm will race for gold in the 100m backstroke roughly eight minutes before Larkin does the same in his event.

Both are world champions, both can win gold, both want the other to win.

But for Larkin to achieve his goals he must blind himself completely to Seebohm’s performance.

Seebohm will probably be doing media interviews when Larkin races, but he may be the last to know if Seebohm has won gold.

“For me it’s absolutely the same process. Whatever happens, we have to do our own things to prepare,” Larkin said.

“Eight minutes before I’m usually heading to marshalling so I’ll be setting up, talking to my coach. It’s important for me to focus on that.

“I’ve talked to Em and she’s fine with that. She knows I support her 100 per cent but I won’t be watching her race. I know she’s in good shape and I wish her all the best.”

Mitch Larkin and Emily Seebohm. Picture: Alex Coppel.

SHERRIN CALMS THE NERVES

Rookie Australian sprinter Kyle Chalmers has been so full of energy waiting to race, teammates have had to physically stop him from doing chin ups on the team bus.

Chalmers, who has already won bronze with the 4x100m freestyle relay team, has been jumping out of his skin to race and constantly walking around with his cherished Sherrin AFL ball to occupy his time and calm the nerves.

“He’s been jumping around the last few days, doing chins on the bus,” teammate James Roberts said.

“I have to kind of smack him to tell him to stop. He’s got a lot of energy.

“His footy is his teddy bear. I think it’s his comfort toy.”

Bronze medallists James Roberts, James Magnussen, Kyle Chalmers and Cameron McEvoy.

NOT LOVIN’ IT

Olympic-goers looking for a familiar feed have been sorely disappointed in Rio with an almost 40-year tradition dashed.

Translation: it’s almost impossible to find a Macca’s at the games.

The fast-food favourite has been a staple at the Olympics since 1976, but this year the restaurant has left the main Olympic park venue with nothing but a second-rate dessert bar.

Hungry Olympic goers are wandering towards the familiar golden arches sign, only to find a menu of McFlurries.

McDonalds also pulled out of the Main Press Centre this games, leaving their only restaurant in the International Zone — an area accessible by athletes and the media.

It’s believed the dearth of Big Macs is part of the fallout of tensions between the fast food sponsor and the IOC.

The queue outside the McDonalds in the Athletes Village. Picture: Cameron Tandy

STORMY WEATHER

Wild winds caused chaos on the second day of competition, cancelling rowing, tearing a hole in the swim centre, delaying matches and shutting down tents across the Olympic park.

Umbrellas and almost anything not weighted down turned into projectiles as winds gusting up to 65km/hour ripped through the stadiums — a reminder that these summer games were in fact smack bang in the middle of the Brazilian winter.

The fierce winds saw rowing delayed and then cancelled, with Australia’s gold medal hopes left to wait to begin their campaign.

Wind had already caused a bumpy race environment for the rowers on day one, with the Serbian crew capsizing.

The Olympic souvenir shop was also closed because of it’s tent-like structure.

Tennis matches and the canoeing were also delayed, while the wind tore a hole in the outside of the swim centre.

The damage to the swimming venue did not affect competition.

Originally published as Rio Confidential: Aussie swim couple focus on gold, Macca’s hard to find, Kyle Chalmers’ nervy wait