Hi Everyone!

Greetings from Rorschach, Switzerland. I arrived back in Switzerland on Monday after spending the whole of last week at the European Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It's been nice relaxing at my Swiss home surrounded by family and friends. Being away from the pool for a few days, has given me the opportunity to reflect on the events of last week.

400m Free: I used this race to get into the groove of the swim meet. The first 200m felt nice and easy, however when I wanted to switch into a higher gear and accelerate I found myself spinning and not catching any water. I didn't think much of it because my eyes were set on the 200m Free race the next day.

200m Free: I didn't achieve my goal in this race. My goal was to swim onto the podium. I clearly failed to do so. The night before the 200m race I found myself with a stomach virus which forced me to go to the bathroom repeatedly. I even had to vomit. I blame the fish that I had eaten for lunch. My goal in the heats was to make it into the semi final. That, I achieved with a modest time of 1:50.26 and 14th place... This was possibly the hardest physical race I have ever swum. My body was tired and didn't have any energy. I still can't believe that I actually made it into the next round. I was working closely with our team doctor throughout the day to replenish my system with electrolytes. I knew before the semi final that I would need a big drop to make it into the final. I got on the block knowing that I would have to swim this race with my head and not my body. I touched 4th in the first semi final with a 1:48.92 ... I couldn't have asked for more. I put all my energy; physical and mental into that race. I was done. After the second semi final the results were official: I qualified 8th for the final. I had 24 hours from this point to get ready for the highlight of my season. I had been working all year for this moment and I was extremely happy to be given the opportunity after the events of the last 24 hours. The next day I woke up feeling better. My body was still extremely tired and weak, but at least I wasn't throwing up anymore. I got on the block and new what my game plan was... it was the same game plan that worked out perfectly in Beijing two years earlier. Take out the first 100 fast with easy speed and then try and hold on the 3rd and 4th fifty. BEEEEP! And I was off. The first 150m went according to plan. I flipped 1st at the first 50, 1st at the second 50, 2nd at the third fifty... Now it was time to bring it home... Unfortunately there was nothing left in the tank. The last 48 hours had taken more out of me than I wanted to accept. I ended up 7th with a 1:48.05 ... I was disappointed.

Looking back it out now I realize that I made the best of it. I was able to continuously get faster from round to round; even when my body didn't want to. It's hard thinking back at this last season, knowing that I have sacrificed and worked so hard for one event, only to not be 100% healthy. It's a lesson which I had to learn and hopefully something I can benefit from in the future. 

100m Free: This event took place a day after the 200m Free final. Due to fatigue I decided to scratch the event and let my body get healthy.

100m Fly: This was the last event on my schedule. I wanted to swim this "off" event because I wanted to see what I could do. I swam a new Swiss Record in 53.64 ... A nice ending to a not so optimal Championship meet for me.

As Alfred Pennyworth (Batman's butler in "Batman Begins") once said: "Why do we fall? So that we learn to pick ourselves up."