1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,907 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB. 3 00:00:12,627 --> 00:00:15,747 Speaker 2: Chat with one of our greatest Paralympians, world record holder, 4 00:00:15,827 --> 00:00:19,187 Speaker 2: three time Paralympic gold medalist and the men's individual medley 5 00:00:19,267 --> 00:00:22,587 Speaker 2: one fifty meter SM four Cam Leslie. 6 00:00:22,187 --> 00:00:26,507 Speaker 3: Leslie and Suzuki No forging ahead, very strong, indeed, keep 7 00:00:26,507 --> 00:00:28,627 Speaker 3: an eye on the clock yet thirty seven or two 8 00:00:28,747 --> 00:00:29,507 Speaker 3: for Leslie. 9 00:00:29,507 --> 00:00:32,907 Speaker 2: Honey has taken it in the heat thirty six point 10 00:00:32,987 --> 00:00:36,347 Speaker 2: seven five Cameron Leslie has taken a. 11 00:00:36,307 --> 00:00:39,267 Speaker 3: World record in the heat. Son. If that doesn't send 12 00:00:39,267 --> 00:00:40,867 Speaker 3: the message to the rest of the field, I. 13 00:00:40,787 --> 00:00:43,267 Speaker 2: Don't know what does. Cam Lesley is off to his 14 00:00:43,507 --> 00:00:47,467 Speaker 2: eighth World Power Swimming Championships in September, looking to add 15 00:00:47,507 --> 00:00:52,147 Speaker 2: to his fourteen World Championship medals. Camp. Thanks for joining us. 16 00:00:52,587 --> 00:00:55,147 Speaker 2: We spoke around Easter when you were about to head 17 00:00:55,187 --> 00:00:58,427 Speaker 2: to Japan to train with one of your greatest rivals, 18 00:00:58,587 --> 00:01:01,907 Speaker 2: take Yuki, Suzuki. So how did it go over there? 19 00:01:03,107 --> 00:01:06,307 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, it was good. He does seems quite different 20 00:01:06,387 --> 00:01:08,787 Speaker 3: with me, a very traditional approach to how they do things. 21 00:01:08,827 --> 00:01:11,507 Speaker 3: And yeah, I guess it's kind of good because we're 22 00:01:11,507 --> 00:01:13,227 Speaker 3: going down the Avenue of sort of trying to be 23 00:01:13,667 --> 00:01:15,627 Speaker 3: quite different with our training style. So it was quite 24 00:01:15,707 --> 00:01:17,907 Speaker 3: refreshing just to sort of see that they are still 25 00:01:17,947 --> 00:01:22,787 Speaker 3: doing quite a traditional approach. But yeah, awesome, Like, man, 26 00:01:22,827 --> 00:01:24,827 Speaker 3: I felt young again for a week. I went hard 27 00:01:24,867 --> 00:01:27,467 Speaker 3: on all the trainings and then and then I blew 28 00:01:27,547 --> 00:01:29,347 Speaker 3: up towards the end. I was like, man, I'm shit. 29 00:01:31,107 --> 00:01:34,627 Speaker 2: So did you bring back some lessons? Are you going 30 00:01:34,707 --> 00:01:38,347 Speaker 2: to revert back to a more traditional type of training 31 00:01:38,387 --> 00:01:40,627 Speaker 2: as you work towards events or were you just sort 32 00:01:40,627 --> 00:01:42,347 Speaker 2: of pick and choose some of the things you're picked 33 00:01:42,387 --> 00:01:42,907 Speaker 2: up over there? 34 00:01:43,387 --> 00:01:44,667 Speaker 3: Nice? So we sort of leaned into a bit of 35 00:01:44,707 --> 00:01:47,107 Speaker 3: their technology and a little bit of their analysis side of 36 00:01:47,147 --> 00:01:50,787 Speaker 3: things that really gave us the takeaways from it. Fifty 37 00:01:50,787 --> 00:01:54,227 Speaker 3: minute pool worth like not a centimeter of uncovered by 38 00:01:54,227 --> 00:01:57,147 Speaker 3: a camera footage, so we had that every Tringle saying 39 00:01:57,187 --> 00:02:01,107 Speaker 3: every single training session, so sixteen seventeen trainings worth camera 40 00:02:01,227 --> 00:02:05,347 Speaker 3: footage review. We really got to nail down on technique 41 00:02:05,347 --> 00:02:08,827 Speaker 3: stuff that we're they're lacking or have done better previously, 42 00:02:09,347 --> 00:02:13,067 Speaker 3: or because I don't race Tucker in fifty meters backstroke, 43 00:02:13,227 --> 00:02:15,027 Speaker 3: he was his coach was more than happy to give 44 00:02:15,027 --> 00:02:17,787 Speaker 3: me his insights into my backstroke style and technique and 45 00:02:17,827 --> 00:02:20,467 Speaker 3: things like that. So we came home with probably a 46 00:02:20,507 --> 00:02:23,147 Speaker 3: good maybe six or seven like points in terms of 47 00:02:23,187 --> 00:02:25,907 Speaker 3: just to sort of clarify what we're doing in certain races. 48 00:02:25,987 --> 00:02:28,067 Speaker 3: You know, we tried different starts and things like that, 49 00:02:28,107 --> 00:02:30,787 Speaker 3: and we're getting half a second improvement just off a dive. 50 00:02:31,587 --> 00:02:33,947 Speaker 3: So those are quite like massive things when you're talking 51 00:02:33,947 --> 00:02:36,107 Speaker 3: the focus of a fifty three style fifty backstroke. 52 00:02:36,427 --> 00:02:39,387 Speaker 2: Absolutely so, did any of its surprise you can when 53 00:02:39,387 --> 00:02:40,987 Speaker 2: you saw the footage, did you think, oh, man, I 54 00:02:40,987 --> 00:02:42,827 Speaker 2: didn't know I was doing that or not doing that. 55 00:02:44,427 --> 00:02:46,987 Speaker 3: I not necessarily surprised me in terms we didn't know 56 00:02:47,067 --> 00:02:48,587 Speaker 3: I was doing it. I knew I was doing it, 57 00:02:48,627 --> 00:02:52,347 Speaker 3: but I didn't know the the I guess. So a 58 00:02:52,387 --> 00:02:54,787 Speaker 3: good example of doing backstroke and a flume. So flume, 59 00:02:54,827 --> 00:02:57,147 Speaker 3: you know, rotating water, you're swimming on the spot, You've 60 00:02:57,147 --> 00:02:59,027 Speaker 3: got camera anglers left right center. So we set it 61 00:02:59,067 --> 00:03:01,067 Speaker 3: to the world record pace and we went, you know, 62 00:03:01,107 --> 00:03:04,587 Speaker 3: we were cranking through it. And the one body movement 63 00:03:04,587 --> 00:03:06,267 Speaker 3: I do with my legs in terms of a kick, 64 00:03:07,067 --> 00:03:09,547 Speaker 3: what that did in terms of offsetting my body position 65 00:03:09,627 --> 00:03:12,667 Speaker 3: in the water was quite drastic. So when you I kicked, 66 00:03:12,707 --> 00:03:14,707 Speaker 3: we thought it was a good thing because you're moving water, 67 00:03:14,747 --> 00:03:16,947 Speaker 3: you're creating or for pulption. However, what it did in 68 00:03:17,067 --> 00:03:19,507 Speaker 3: terms of the negative of changing body position, we didn't 69 00:03:19,507 --> 00:03:23,667 Speaker 3: realize it was quite that extreme. So that was really 70 00:03:23,787 --> 00:03:25,587 Speaker 3: That's probably a really good example in terms of we 71 00:03:25,627 --> 00:03:28,307 Speaker 3: had absolute awareness, but in terms of the severity of 72 00:03:28,347 --> 00:03:29,547 Speaker 3: that change, we didn't have that. 73 00:03:30,187 --> 00:03:34,387 Speaker 2: How difficult or not is it to change habits that 74 00:03:34,547 --> 00:03:37,667 Speaker 2: you know, change techniques that you've perhaps been doing for 75 00:03:37,747 --> 00:03:40,547 Speaker 2: quite some time. How challenging is it to change those 76 00:03:40,827 --> 00:03:42,827 Speaker 2: those or even make those small tweaks. 77 00:03:43,587 --> 00:03:45,787 Speaker 3: So I've learned this throughout my career that to me, 78 00:03:45,867 --> 00:03:49,027 Speaker 3: I say easy because I'm engaged with my brain. I'm 79 00:03:49,147 --> 00:03:51,427 Speaker 3: very body aware. I know, I'm very aware of where 80 00:03:51,467 --> 00:03:54,227 Speaker 3: my body is in space. So easy ish for me, 81 00:03:54,427 --> 00:03:56,987 Speaker 3: but for others very hard to break a long standing 82 00:03:57,027 --> 00:03:59,987 Speaker 3: sort of technique that's been ingrained into your right. But 83 00:04:01,027 --> 00:04:03,747 Speaker 3: for me it's been really easy. We've been very conscious. 84 00:04:03,747 --> 00:04:05,467 Speaker 3: It sort of helped me have better body position and 85 00:04:05,467 --> 00:04:07,107 Speaker 3: how to macore up a bit, you know, like I'm 86 00:04:07,227 --> 00:04:09,147 Speaker 3: very aware of what I'm doing in the water, So 87 00:04:09,627 --> 00:04:12,227 Speaker 3: for me, not very different not very difficult, but it 88 00:04:12,307 --> 00:04:13,827 Speaker 3: is usually quite a hard thing to do. 89 00:04:14,067 --> 00:04:15,707 Speaker 2: So a couple of months out from the World Champs 90 00:04:15,707 --> 00:04:17,387 Speaker 2: in September, how do you reckon your tracking? How are 91 00:04:17,387 --> 00:04:19,147 Speaker 2: you feeling good? 92 00:04:19,267 --> 00:04:21,187 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, a little bit sick at the moment, but yeah, 93 00:04:21,227 --> 00:04:23,187 Speaker 3: that's all just yeah, it's gone and gone on a 94 00:04:23,187 --> 00:04:26,587 Speaker 3: floody in a good gym session or a good swim 95 00:04:26,707 --> 00:04:30,587 Speaker 3: right now. Yeah, really good tracking, really, and I see 96 00:04:30,587 --> 00:04:33,467 Speaker 3: we've had some good race results this year pre going 97 00:04:33,467 --> 00:04:37,187 Speaker 3: to Japan and then post Japan racing out and ZEEM Championships. 98 00:04:37,227 --> 00:04:40,187 Speaker 3: So yeah, some really good results, looking really good in 99 00:04:40,267 --> 00:04:43,867 Speaker 3: terms of where we're tracking towards it. So excited to race, 100 00:04:43,907 --> 00:04:47,667 Speaker 3: excited to sort of I guess get even a little 101 00:04:47,667 --> 00:04:50,107 Speaker 3: bit really right now I'm sitting world number one and 102 00:04:50,387 --> 00:04:53,467 Speaker 3: number world number one until my races, so like looking 103 00:04:53,467 --> 00:04:56,427 Speaker 3: good versus the competitors. However, that's not the that's not 104 00:04:56,467 --> 00:05:00,147 Speaker 3: the clinical for the year. So yeah, things they're looking good. 105 00:05:00,467 --> 00:05:03,267 Speaker 2: Just clarify which events you're racing in Singapore. 106 00:05:03,427 --> 00:05:06,067 Speaker 3: Fifty three style, one hundred freestyle in fifty minutes backstroke. 107 00:05:06,347 --> 00:05:08,987 Speaker 2: All right, so you're fourth in the men's fifty three 108 00:05:09,027 --> 00:05:12,387 Speaker 2: and men's fifty back in Paris, narrowly missing a metal 109 00:05:12,387 --> 00:05:14,467 Speaker 2: in both. I remember you said to me you didn't 110 00:05:14,467 --> 00:05:16,627 Speaker 2: want to finish your Olympic career with a couple of fourths. 111 00:05:17,467 --> 00:05:19,067 Speaker 2: How are you tracking for LA? Do you feel like 112 00:05:19,067 --> 00:05:20,707 Speaker 2: you're on target? I know it's a long way away, 113 00:05:20,707 --> 00:05:23,787 Speaker 2: but I know you plan things metronomically. How are you 114 00:05:23,867 --> 00:05:24,787 Speaker 2: tracking towards LA? 115 00:05:25,587 --> 00:05:28,987 Speaker 3: Yeah? Good? I mean this year because of the soil 116 00:05:28,987 --> 00:05:31,027 Speaker 3: loser last year, I come back and then we're really 117 00:05:31,067 --> 00:05:35,027 Speaker 3: sort of shaken things up and we're doing things now 118 00:05:35,187 --> 00:05:38,627 Speaker 3: very purposely for LA. So changes that we're making in 119 00:05:38,707 --> 00:05:40,987 Speaker 3: terms of us at home, you know, moving house, moving 120 00:05:40,987 --> 00:05:43,907 Speaker 3: off farm and stuff like that to allow that to happen. 121 00:05:44,347 --> 00:05:46,747 Speaker 3: But also what we've been looking into is the sports 122 00:05:46,747 --> 00:05:49,707 Speaker 3: science stuff this year through New Zealand, at high performance 123 00:05:49,707 --> 00:05:51,907 Speaker 3: sport in New Zealand, through nutrition, and it's all to 124 00:05:52,027 --> 00:05:56,187 Speaker 3: feed a bigger picture towards LA. So I say, tracking 125 00:05:56,227 --> 00:05:58,667 Speaker 3: really good. We haven't made massive changes this year in 126 00:05:58,707 --> 00:06:02,907 Speaker 3: some spaces, but we're gathering data insights to track versus 127 00:06:02,907 --> 00:06:05,867 Speaker 3: performance in Singapore and then look to make changes post 128 00:06:05,867 --> 00:06:08,707 Speaker 3: Singapore or looking forward to Europeans next year in Worlds 129 00:06:08,747 --> 00:06:10,187 Speaker 3: year out, looking forward to our. 130 00:06:10,227 --> 00:06:14,147 Speaker 2: Essentially outstanding Well, I've got you your day job disability 131 00:06:14,187 --> 00:06:17,187 Speaker 2: and pair of swimming participation manager for Swimming New Zealand. 132 00:06:17,507 --> 00:06:19,187 Speaker 2: What takes up most of your time in that role. 133 00:06:20,747 --> 00:06:22,907 Speaker 3: Trying to find the next version of me and Dan Pasco? 134 00:06:23,147 --> 00:06:26,747 Speaker 2: And yeah, how's that going? How's that going? Are they 135 00:06:26,787 --> 00:06:28,147 Speaker 2: coming from? They are? 136 00:06:28,227 --> 00:06:29,867 Speaker 3: Yeah? I mean that's the thing. I've been doing this 137 00:06:29,907 --> 00:06:33,067 Speaker 3: row sixt or seven years now, and when I started, 138 00:06:33,107 --> 00:06:34,787 Speaker 3: we couldn't have told you who was our sort of 139 00:06:34,907 --> 00:06:36,827 Speaker 3: prospects for the next two games. Where is now I 140 00:06:36,867 --> 00:06:39,427 Speaker 3: can pretty comfortably tell you who's looking good for twenty 141 00:06:39,747 --> 00:06:43,067 Speaker 3: eight and twenty twenty thirty two games in terms of 142 00:06:43,107 --> 00:06:45,147 Speaker 3: who are I doing and seeing coming through, which is 143 00:06:45,227 --> 00:06:48,227 Speaker 3: amazing really to have that far forward in the future. 144 00:06:48,267 --> 00:06:50,587 Speaker 3: And I mean that's what my job's all about, is 145 00:06:50,587 --> 00:06:53,147 Speaker 3: trying to establish those pathways for them and work with 146 00:06:53,187 --> 00:06:57,267 Speaker 3: the club coaches feed not only like that's the only 147 00:06:57,307 --> 00:06:59,507 Speaker 3: the like the competitive piece. There's a whole heap of 148 00:06:59,547 --> 00:07:02,667 Speaker 3: participasion project which are really cool that we've got going 149 00:07:02,707 --> 00:07:05,267 Speaker 3: on that is a little bit more just around like 150 00:07:05,267 --> 00:07:07,987 Speaker 3: the therapeutic side of being in the water and creating 151 00:07:08,027 --> 00:07:10,627 Speaker 3: relationships people with compeiment and being in the water, and 152 00:07:11,147 --> 00:07:13,827 Speaker 3: I guess finding a space or a sport or a 153 00:07:13,907 --> 00:07:16,547 Speaker 3: sensory experience that is for them. 154 00:07:17,627 --> 00:07:21,267 Speaker 2: How can you tell so far out whether a swimmer 155 00:07:21,307 --> 00:07:24,707 Speaker 2: has what it takes to be a successful twenty thirty 156 00:07:24,707 --> 00:07:27,587 Speaker 2: two Olympian or even a twenty twenty eight Olympian. I mean, 157 00:07:27,747 --> 00:07:29,627 Speaker 2: obviously you can look at their technique in the way 158 00:07:29,627 --> 00:07:31,827 Speaker 2: that they move through the water, but how can you 159 00:07:31,867 --> 00:07:34,427 Speaker 2: tell you know, from a mental point of view that 160 00:07:34,467 --> 00:07:35,787 Speaker 2: someone has what it takes. 161 00:07:37,147 --> 00:07:40,787 Speaker 3: You've got your dirty old statistical tracking stuff that says 162 00:07:40,827 --> 00:07:43,347 Speaker 3: they're in a really good position now versus what the 163 00:07:43,387 --> 00:07:46,707 Speaker 3: world standards are, so that like that's a dirty or 164 00:07:46,747 --> 00:07:49,987 Speaker 3: performance marker, right. But then there's uncoachables. You know, are 165 00:07:49,987 --> 00:07:52,907 Speaker 3: they driven? Do they turn up? Are they always seeking more? 166 00:07:53,467 --> 00:07:55,387 Speaker 3: You know, does their age plan to it? What are 167 00:07:55,427 --> 00:07:59,507 Speaker 3: their performance behaviors? Are they with good clubs like that 168 00:07:59,547 --> 00:08:02,627 Speaker 3: sort of stuff. The uncoachables. Do they have a desire? 169 00:08:02,747 --> 00:08:04,867 Speaker 3: Is it actually what they want to achieve? Because there's 170 00:08:04,907 --> 00:08:07,347 Speaker 3: so many people who have the of going to Olympics 171 00:08:07,427 --> 00:08:10,187 Speaker 3: or parallemic Games. And I mean to put a blunt there, 172 00:08:10,307 --> 00:08:12,187 Speaker 3: it's just words. You've got to have action buy in it. 173 00:08:12,267 --> 00:08:14,227 Speaker 3: So probably what I'm trying to say is that these 174 00:08:14,267 --> 00:08:16,347 Speaker 3: people actually do have a bit of action to them 175 00:08:16,347 --> 00:08:19,187 Speaker 3: at these early stages and are tracking nicely on a 176 00:08:19,227 --> 00:08:20,387 Speaker 3: performance marker as well. 177 00:08:20,867 --> 00:08:22,667 Speaker 2: Do you often do you see a little bit of 178 00:08:22,827 --> 00:08:25,867 Speaker 2: your younger self and some of these younger swims totally. 179 00:08:25,907 --> 00:08:27,227 Speaker 3: I see my parents and a lot of the parents 180 00:08:27,267 --> 00:08:28,827 Speaker 3: I work with as well. You know, they used to 181 00:08:28,907 --> 00:08:30,467 Speaker 3: have to put in the fight, and that's sort of 182 00:08:30,467 --> 00:08:32,307 Speaker 3: what my job's there for is to remove that fight 183 00:08:32,387 --> 00:08:34,547 Speaker 3: for them and show that it's a you know, it's 184 00:08:34,547 --> 00:08:37,027 Speaker 3: a sport pathway and a program, a space that is 185 00:08:37,067 --> 00:08:39,587 Speaker 3: actually welcoming of impairment, and if you've got an issue, 186 00:08:39,627 --> 00:08:40,827 Speaker 3: you just take it out the same way you would 187 00:08:40,867 --> 00:08:43,347 Speaker 3: with any other club swimmer. It's not you don't have 188 00:08:43,427 --> 00:08:45,987 Speaker 3: to yell and scream about it. And you know, my 189 00:08:46,067 --> 00:08:48,347 Speaker 3: kid never gets this chance to absolutely get the chance 190 00:08:48,387 --> 00:08:52,827 Speaker 3: of swimming, So it's I can definitely see young me 191 00:08:52,907 --> 00:08:55,307 Speaker 3: and young young my parents, and I mean some of 192 00:08:55,307 --> 00:08:57,627 Speaker 3: the ones who acquire injuries as well. There's others who 193 00:08:57,627 --> 00:08:59,667 Speaker 3: have come through in a power of pathway that are 194 00:08:59,667 --> 00:09:01,347 Speaker 3: at the same time as me, and you see them 195 00:09:01,627 --> 00:09:05,267 Speaker 3: in those swimmers as well. It's really cool. It's real 196 00:09:05,267 --> 00:09:09,187 Speaker 3: close to my real passion, passionate role for me. We've 197 00:09:09,227 --> 00:09:11,507 Speaker 3: made such great progress in it that it's really cool 198 00:09:11,507 --> 00:09:13,347 Speaker 3: to start seeing some of the people who I've worked 199 00:09:13,387 --> 00:09:15,467 Speaker 3: with in terms of young athletes coming through and being 200 00:09:15,467 --> 00:09:18,307 Speaker 3: our national teams with me. Yeah. 201 00:09:18,387 --> 00:09:20,907 Speaker 2: No, your passion so obvious, mate, the valuable perspective, your 202 00:09:20,907 --> 00:09:25,387 Speaker 2: brain must be incredibly valuable to our next next wave 203 00:09:25,387 --> 00:09:27,227 Speaker 2: of swimmers. And for you made off to the World 204 00:09:27,307 --> 00:09:29,347 Speaker 2: champs in Singapore, so all the best over there look 205 00:09:29,347 --> 00:09:30,587 Speaker 2: forward to catching up when you get back. 206 00:09:30,867 --> 00:09:32,307 Speaker 3: Cheers, thank you very much, No, thank. 207 00:09:32,147 --> 00:09:34,027 Speaker 2: You for joining us. Caam cam Leslie are one of 208 00:09:34,027 --> 00:09:38,067 Speaker 2: our great paralympians off to another World Championship in Singapore 209 00:09:38,107 --> 00:09:39,027 Speaker 2: in September. 210 00:09:39,747 --> 00:09:42,947 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 211 00:09:43,067 --> 00:09:46,347 Speaker 1: to News Talk d BE weekends from midday, or follow 212 00:09:46,387 --> 00:09:47,987 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.