Swimmer Libby in the zone but plays down expectations

Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google News Libby Trickett is poised to become one of the multi-medal winners in the pool at this year's Beijing Olympics, but the Australian was keen to play down expectations Thursday.
Trickett, 23, is targeting the 50m, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly and the two 100m relays for a potential five medal haul.
Initially she had her sights on a 20-year Olympic record with a crack at six golds, but she has dropped the 4x200m freestyle relay from her Beijing workload.
"I'm really happy with where I'm at," she said in Kuala Lumpur at the team's pre-Olympic camp.
"I'm feeling very fit and quite strong. Everything seems to be coming together well but there's still a big job ahead."
Trickett, formerly Lenton, has yet to land an individual Olympic gold having shared in a 100-metres freestyle relay victory in 2004, but in the four years since Athens history beckons for her at the 'Water Cube.'
She goes into Beijing with world record swims in the 50m (23.97) and 100m freestyle (52.88) set at the national trials last March.
Asked if world records would be a motivation in China, she said: "Yes, definitely. I think most athletes are striving to better themselves.
"But more than anything it's not about the outcome, coming first, it's the race process and getting the best out of yourself on the day.
"Honestly, I'd be very happy with one gold. All athletes dream of Olympic gold and I've been very lucky to have done that. I've far surpassed any dreams I had of competing in my sport.
"But for me it is always about doing better than I have in the past. I would like to do better than I did in Athens. If I did, I couldn't possibly ask for more."
Trickett, wracked by nerves, missed out on swimming in the 100m final in Athens by nine-hundredths of a second as the ninth fastest qualifier after going into the last Games as the world record-holder.
She said it had been a big learning curve.
"Athens was a huge learning experience to me, just going to the Olympics because it is so, so different to anything else," she said.
"I'm only just starting to appreciate that now going through it a second time.
"When I went into Athens there was a pressure cooker of attention and I had no idea how to deal with that.
"Coming into this one there is so much more attention but I'm able to deal with it so much better. That makes a huge difference to me."
With a new relaxed mentally that goes with experience, she said she was content already with what she had achieved.
"For me the most exciting thing is that I'm really proud of myself, where I am and I haven't even swum yet," she said.
"It's a good place to be, a place where I wouldn't change a thing."
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)first published:July 31, 2008, 10:31 ISTlast updated:July 31, 2008, 10:31 IST
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode: 'thumbnails-mid-article',container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',target_type: 'mix'});
let eventFire = false;
window.addEventListener('scroll', () => {
if (window.taboolaInt && !eventFire) {
setTimeout(() => {
ga('send', 'event', 'Mid Article Thumbnails', 'PV');
ga('set', 'dimension22', "Taboola Yes");
}, 4000);
eventFire = true;
}
});
 
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode: 'thumbnails-a', container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });Latest News