YOG: The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is recognised as a great stepping stone for athlete’s but there’s much more to the YOG than just competing.

Culture and Education programs (CEP) have been a great success in Nanjing for the athletes especially when it comes to chatting with Olympic champions.

'Chat With Champions’ allows Youth Olympians to ask questions to the Athlete Role Models (ARM) about their experiences and how they became the best in their specific sports.

The IOC put on a live show tonight inviting athletes from the Youth Olympic Village to participate in a Q and A session.

Patrick Murphy an Australian Olympic swimmer was joined on the couch by Heather Moyse from Canada and Lucie Decosse from France.

The three provided quality responses to the keen athletes that were in attendance, each giving insight into their lives as professional athletes.

Murphy spoke about growing up in Fiji and the goal he had of one day beating his brother in the swimming pool.

“It wasn’t a matter of enjoying it (swimming) more or less, it’s just I started to go quiet well at swimming. I beat my brother when I was 15, so I stuck with swimming and I’m glad,” the Aussie said.

Murphy also gave the enthusiastic crowd insight into how to cope with nerves before competing.

“I think being nervous is a very good thing but it’s just about controlling those nerves as best as possible. When I got nervous it meant that the race actually meant something to me,” the bronze medallist said.

“Especially at an Olympic level which you guys are experiencing now, you’re trying to get the best out of yourselves on the day of competition. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a heat or final, you will still get nervous it’s just how well you control the nerves.”

Patrick Murphy will be joining AOC media live tomorrow at 2pm (CST). Visit Olympics.com.au to watch and keep up to date with results.

Phillip Brent
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam