A plan hatched two years ago at Penrith Lakes almost rocked the world in Rio today with Jarrod Poort’s foiled attempt to steal a dramatic 10km marathon open water race at Copacabana.
And if ever the grueling sport of open water swimming needed a shot in the arm, someone to “make it sexy” according to Australian head coach Ron McKeon then Poort did just that.
The 21-year-old sprinted away from the gun, catching the 26-strong field by complete surprise, to open up a lead of almost a minute after the first of four 2.5km laps.
In his wake were a host of world champions and an Olympic gold medallist in a field of the fastest open water swimmers in the world.
“I knew I was fit; I had done a lot of work; everyone trains to finish fast; no one trains to go from the start; so I thought I would switch it around; it was a big risk…I think that’s sport…you have to do that sometimes,” Poort said later.
It was a bold, daring plan, kept under wraps until today and lasted for around 8.5km and a nerve wracking hour and a half.
“The plan started two years ago at the NSW State Championships at Penrith and it was a momentum thing; something Poort had to have confidence in doing; it wasn’t just going to happen like that; it took two years to manifest,” said McKeon.
Thousands at the beach and millions more watching on television were enthralled and captivated, asking: “Could this Aussie boy Poort hang on to cause the biggest upset of the games?
“Twittersphere” went into overdrive as did the chase pack, who set their sights on swimming Poort down and there was support galore on the beach from his family, his mates from Wollongong and the entire Australian swim team.
Coaches, crowded on a barge, where the swimmers would take their nourishment, were not backward in coming forward yelling at their swimmers to start chasing.
Poort, under Wests Illawarra coach James Greathead and with former coach and National Head Coach Ron McKeon, in his corner, held on to his lead through the first three-quarters of the race.
The Australian “brains trust” McKeon and sports scientist Greg Shaw kept close tabs on his split times; his average 100m times and his stroke rates, relaying the data on their computer and information to team coach Michael Sage on board the barge.
“He had to give it a go…it wasn’t much use Jarrod just sitting in the pack – he doesn’t have the speed to go with them at the end. He had to change the way this race is swum - and he almost pulled it off,” said McKeon, whose daughter Emma and son David were also on the Aussie swim team – Emma winning four medals – the most by any Australian.
But as the last lap unraveled and Australian fans praying for the boy from the ‘Gong to hang on, the pack eventually swallowed him up.
The bravest “sting” of the week had played out, Poort, trying desperately to get his aching arms over as he limped to the finish in 21st place.
“I used a lot of heart…. just everything I had…I was hurting at the end. I could smell it…I couldn’t quite taste it but I just couldn’t hang on in there,” an exhausted Poort said after the race.
“It was a shame. I am better than that but I laid it all on the line…I guess that’s sport; you’ve got to take a risk and it was a big risk and it was going to be a big reward…but that’s the way it is.
“I knew the pack would be coming; they were just too quick at the end. I couldn’t hang in there.”
Poort said the first lap was hard because of that initial speed he had to produce and he said maybe in hindsight he put too much effort into it both physically and mentally.
And with one lap to go he gritted his teeth, his arms were cramping and he knew he was in a little bit of trouble; trying not to second guess himself, trying to stay mentally strong and checking where the pack was.
“Michael Klim (had a saying when he hit the wall) it was like he had a Grand Piano fall on him; I don’t know what fell on me but it was more than the Grand Piano,” said Poort.
“I am pretty shattered; I just had fun and just hope I did the country proud; and everyone at home.
“I’ve had so many people help me…I’ve got my family and best mates over here supporting me; my coaches; it was a fun day in the office…. Maybe I’ll try and do it again in another four years.”
McKeon said Poort had put everything on the line with hardly any difference between his four 2.5km splits (28mins 41sec; 28mins 16secs; 28mins 16secs and 28 mins 25 sec).
“He can take so much from that; we can now look at changing the face of how that that 10km is swum; it certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons, that’s for sure,” said McKeon.
“We are certainly very excited; one with what he did and also what his future can hold. He earned that much respect out there; he would only have had green and gold on his mind and he could taste it.
“It will hold him in great stead going forward; he wants to see the sport and the excitement of open water swimming (take off).
“We need to make this sport sexy. Maybe Jarrod’s the man to do it.”
In the end it was Dutchman Ferry Weertman who claimed his country’s second Olympic open water gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games overtaking Poort at 1:38.50 into the race to put himself into position for one of the wildest sprints to the finish ever witnessed. Weertman joined fellow countrywoman Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) who won yesterday’s women’s event.
This is the third Olympic gold medal for The Netherlands following Maarten van der Weijden’s victory eight years ago at the inaugural 10K in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Hungary, Russia and Tunisia each hold one Olympic Gold medal from either Beijing or London. Swimmers from the UK finished second and third in the women’s 10K in Beijing and earned a second silver medal in the London Olympics four years ago.
Unlike van Rouwendaal (NED) who won by a comfortable margin, Weertman (NED) managed to hit the touchpad first after an epic battle to the finish with six other rivals. His 6’2” height may have offered the final advantage he needed to win.
Weertman hit the touchpad at 1:52.59.8 just edging out Spiros Gianniotis (GRE) who challenged the Dutch swimmer in a frantic sprint for the touchpads just 100m from the finish.
Gianniotis swam outside of the six person pack that formed around Weertman after he disposed of Poort. The six included Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA), Jordan Wilimovsky (USA), Jack Burnell (GBR), Evgenii Drattcev (RUS) and briefly London Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli (TUN). It was clear to most observers that Weertman touched first but the finish time for Gianniotis (GRE) was identical to the time for the Dutch swimmer.
Ian Hanson
olympics.com.au
