Everyone knows that Mireia Belmonte broke two world records (short course 800m and 400m freestyle) in 24 hours, but what some perhaps don't know is that she did so after a nine-hour coach journey. The Catalan was forced to pay her own way to make it to the FINA World Cup in Eindhoven and Berlin, living an almost backpacker-like lifestyle.
Are you still reliving the records, or have you switched off completely?
It's true that my crawl at the World Cup really was amazing; I was in incredible form, but you have to take a break. It's been a remarkable month, with the World Championships and then this... which was quite an experience in many ways.
It's true that my crawl at the World Cup really was amazing; I was in incredible form, but you have to take a break. It's been a remarkable month, with the World Championships and then this... which was quite an experience in many ways.
What do you mean?
I paid for everything at the World Cup, including the hotels. I got to Berlin from Eindhoven by coach: it took nine hours... I had no physio, no doctor, none of that stuff.
I paid for everything at the World Cup, including the hotels. I got to Berlin from Eindhoven by coach: it took nine hours... I had no physio, no doctor, none of that stuff.
Your dad told me that he nearly moved to Australia in 1982 because he was offered a job by a major company. If you'd have been born Australian, I'd wager your hotel would have been paid for.
Because swimming there is like football here! Okay, maybe not quite, because it's crazy how big football is here. I find it amazing that I beat the world record and most newspapers gave the story the same amount of coverage as that day's football fixtures. 'L'Équipe' dedicated its front cover and a three or four-page spread to France's gold medal in the medley relay at the Worlds; Agnel has been on the front cover loads of times, as have others. But it looks like I'll have to wait for my third medal for that.
Because swimming there is like football here! Okay, maybe not quite, because it's crazy how big football is here. I find it amazing that I beat the world record and most newspapers gave the story the same amount of coverage as that day's football fixtures. 'L'Équipe' dedicated its front cover and a three or four-page spread to France's gold medal in the medley relay at the Worlds; Agnel has been on the front cover loads of times, as have others. But it looks like I'll have to wait for my third medal for that.
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