SYDNEY, Australia, September 1. TODAY, three-time Olympic gold medalist Libby Trickett of Australia announced that she is coming out of a short-lived retirement according to The Australian. The move comes just nine months after she announced her retirement.
"I think it really solidified in my mind at Pan Pacs last week (where Trickett was doing post-race interviews), seeing the guys race in such a beautiful pool," she told The Australian. "I am ready to commit myself again and she how far I can take my swimming and how fast I can get. I think this year allowed me to find that fire and passion again. I realize I still love the sport so much and I want to be able to enjoy it."
Trickett will be back training with head coach Grant Stoelwinder in Sydney. Trickett's retirement had left a gaping void in the sprint freestyle events in Australia. Youngsters Cate Campbell and Yolane Kukla had been working towards filling that whole.
Full text of The Australian article.
Search For More News About: Libby Trickett
Reaction Time Comments
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions
of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
September 1, 2010 Great news,
She is past her peak (2007) but she is still a superb sprinter, It will be hard for her to get medals on the world stage with youngsters like Halsall Submitted by: Doodledo
September 1, 2010 HOOOORRRRRAAAAYYYYY!!!
Swimming at its best!! Submitted by: nadador
September 1, 2010 Based on Pan Pacs, the Australians really, really need her. Kukla is already very good and could be great in a few years, but beyond that, their sprint depth this year has been startlingly lacking given what we've come to expect from the Dolphins. When your 4x100 free relay for China next year relies on Cate Campbell coming back from hip surgery with no difficulties in rehab, and Emily Seebholm on that squad as something like her sixth different event in order to stay in medal contention, it's a sign that they're short a swimmer or two from their usual excellent results. Submitted by: selkie
September 1, 2010 I will be great to have her and Steffen back next year. The sprints are going to heat up with these girls, Halsall, and Ranomi K. Submitted by: ShortChange
September 1, 2010 I agree, great news!!!
Past her peak? Are you kidding me? Did you watch Dara Torres in 2008 - at 41 posting a then fastest relay split ever? Trickett posted the 2nd fastest 100 Free last year.
Where do these comments come from? Please folks, let's exhibit some rationality.
If she's serious about her comeback, I will go as far as to say that if Steffen doesn't also come back, she will win the Gold medal at next year's World Championships.
Past her peak? Submitted by: mario2007
September 1, 2010 If Cate Campbell can get her grooves back next year, Australia will have an extremely potent 400 FR with Seebohm-Kukla-Campbell-Trickett.
With this combination, they will even be gold medal favorite in the event at next year worlds. Submitted by: aswimfan
September 2, 2010 Don't forget about the Dutch.
Kromidjojo had some sterling times early in the season and was unable to compete in Budapest because of meningitis. She still has the top time in the world. Heemskerk (52 split on relay this year) and then Dekker will be back into the mix next year.
Aswimfan, according to FINA rules Trickett will be ineligible to compete at World Championships next year because she is coming out of declared retirement and cannot swim at the Australian selection trials for Shanghai within FINA's stipulated time frame. Submitted by: ShortChange
September 2, 2010 Australia can hardly be called the gold medal favorite in the 400 FR with all of the Americans (Coughlin, Hardy, Weir/Joyce, and Vollmer) having the capability to split a 53... Submitted by: swimfreak101
September 2, 2010 Obviously, the US has always been (and will always be)among the favorites for any relays due to the depth.
However, Coughlin-Weir-Joyce-Vollmer have been around since 2004, and CMIIW but they've never won gold in any Olympics/WC (LCM or SCM) since then.
I think the last the US won women 400 FR gold was in Barcelona 2003. Submitted by: aswimfan
September 2, 2010 No way the aussies take the 400 Free Relay Submitted by: purple haze
September 2, 2010 No way the aussies take the 400 Free Relay
---------------------
why not?
Assuming all healthy and able to race (especially trickett what with the 8 months non-Fina race period), this is how I imagine the AUS 400 FR wil be:
Seebohm - her 100 back/free/fly times are all faster than coughlin's at same age, and her 200 IM is even faster than coughlin's in LZR. who knows what she can do next year.
Kukla - 24.7 and 54.0 at 14 with staggering improvement curves
Campbell - Currently out with injury. Olympic and Worlds bronze medallist in 50 free. Beat Coughlin in Santa Clara in 2008 at 15/16 in 100 free (53.3) and beat trickett in 50 in 2007 when she was still 14.
Trickett - need I say more? (if she's back to her best next year).
The way I see it, (assuming all are healthy and able to race) there is a 4 way race between USA, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia for women's 400 FR gold next year in Shanghai.
Submitted by: aswimfan
September 2, 2010 Coughlin's 200 IM is a 2:09.77, so still faster than Seebohm's, albeit in a LZR.
I agree, aswimfan, to me Australia looks the most promising, even with the strength of the USA. The only question with Australia is that if you look at the relay performances of the young members of their squad (Campbell Submitted by: mario2007
September 2, 2010 Coughlin's 200 IM is a 2:09.77, so still faster than Seebohm's, albeit in a LZR.
I agree, aswimfan, to me Australia looks the most promising, even with the strength of the USA. The only question with Australia is that if you look at the relay performances of the young members of their squad (Campbell & Kukla), they really haven't lived up to their potential.
The Netherlands squad is pretty fragmented these days and older. The Germans are in a rebuilding phase. So based on current stats, the Americans are the favorites, but the Aussies still have a lot to say about it. Submitted by: mario2007
September 3, 2010 Trickett is never going to be as good as 07 again, Not in terms of winning medals anyway, I cant see her being world champ in the near future, Ranomi,Fran look great and steffen is the WR holder, A major champ medallist yes, a Champions again, Probably not, And it is not about age, McClatchey is 25 and looks like her best is behind her, Torres is a clear 1 in a billion, I have seen comments on here with people saying Adlington has peaked, She is 21, It is not about age, It is determination,Desire,Fitness and health, and i cant see Trickett being as good as 2007, That was her year. Submitted by: doodledo
September 3, 2010 It's very exciting news; I had a feeling Trickett would come back. The funny thing is her colleagues on the commentating team would always joke with her about it and she would never give a straight answer.
The break could well be the best thing she's done for her career and probably should have happened in 2009.
In any case it's ridiculous to talk about her being past her peak; she hasn't set any times yet.
2007 was her peak year only if you discount 2008 and 2009 completely for the suits fiasco (making that true for any athlete really). Her times in some events kept improving afterwards and 2008 was her peak in terms of times (albeit LZR times).
Past her peak indicates that she's going backwards; being beaten by faster swimmers is not reflective of her form if she's setting PBs.
Physically she's been on top of her game for years. I think she's going to come back mentally stronger. Submitted by: woowoo
September 3, 2010 It's hard to judge how teams are going to go in relays; a team can be a second or two off their best time but can still manage to win the gold if the other teams are below par. This was the case for Australia at the 2005 World Champs in the 4x100 free.
On paper now, the US seem to be the favourites next year. The US have pretty much always had consistency and depth.
Libby will certainly give the Aussies a huge boost if she is eligible to swim and is near her best, however Australia is lacking a 4th. If Cate Campbell is back near her best (which could be a low 53, minus the LZR) then they will be a huge force. That 53.9 from Seebohm is brilliant given her second year of racing this event at this level (and a huge program) and Kukla at 14 going 54.0 is very exciting in her second year of racing. Submitted by: woowoo
September 3, 2010 With Trickett back, that's a game changer for the Aussies. Submitted by: bluemoon
September 3, 2010 Doodledo, I have a feeling you'll be eating your words.
.."It is determination,Desire,Fitness and health". On which of these counts has Trickett ever been found wanting? She took a break. Look at Geoff Huegill, 31, from Australia. He's swimming as fast as ever, and he took a much longer break. Submitted by: mario2007
September 3, 2010 Unless Swimming Australia changes their selection policy to allow Trickett to be named to be the team in some other fashion she'll have to wait until London to be part of the relay. The Australian trials next April don't fall within the nine month FINA time frame for retired swimmers re-entering the sport. Submitted by: ShortChange
September 4, 2010 Would it be possible that Swimming Australia allows Trickett to participate in the trials, and then if she is selected, she can post qualifying time in later meets (that occur 9 months after her announcement this week) prior to Shanghai. Submitted by: aswimfan
September 6, 2010 Trickett has a lot more good swimming in her. If Dara can do it so can she. Submitted by: bluemoon
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions
of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
Special Offer!
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
