By James Chapman
April 25th 2008 @ 8:27am
Going for gold: the Olympic diary of rower James Chapman
Cut-out passes and Russian Military Martial Arts are not what is usually coupled with rowers in an Olympic preparation.
I wouldn’t have believed it six months ago. I wouldn’t have ten years ago, when first I started rowing after leaving high school. But now I believe it.
We’re into the last 20 days of training at the Australian Institute of Sport for this campaign, before we depart for our European hit-outs.
We’re trying to make ourselves the most prepared we can be prior to landing in China. We’re including cross-training exercises such as touch football (for co-ordination), cycling (for aerobic conditioning), and we’re even doing some Russian Martial Arts exercises for mobility and flexibility.
If you were going to compete at the Olympics, you would want to know you’ve covered everything off so that you have the best chance of winning. I want to know I’ve done as much as I can when I’m representing my country.
Right now we’re in Canberra, until Saturday 3rd May – in the Capital that’s getting increasingly cold, which means increasingly more layers of Lycra for on-water training sessions.
Despite the chill, it’s a great lake to train on, the Burley-Griffin.
It’s typically a flat lake (like most stretches of water), but it isn’t too windy, which is ideal for 24km rows.
When we get to our basecamp in Europe, we’ll row more and cross-train less. Alas, we don’t have access to the same facilities we have here in Canberra.
I should also introduce myself. My name is James Chapman and I’m 28 years old. I’ve been rowing since high school and made my first Senior National Team in 2003.
I compete in pairs, fours and eights, but once national selection is finalised, we only compete in one event because of the physical demands of even one race.
I’m from Sydney, born and raised, and have been training out of the AIS in Canberra for 2 years since I was selected in the Australian Eight for the 2006 World Championships.
I’m currently rowing in the 3 seat of the Eight (the seats are numbered 1-8, from the bow of the boat). We will trial several different combinations before Beijing in order to determine the fastest possible line-up.
I’ll introduce other members of the crew as we get closer to the Olympics.
Our spirit and enthusiasm for the Olympics was ignited last night whilst attending a buffet dinner hosted by the Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Junsai.
There were Chinese dignitaries, John Coates (AOC), Members of Parliament and others involved in the Olympic Movement. There was a smattering of athletes, swimmers, gymmies and rowers and uncharacteristically for these functions, enough food to re-fuel, since we just finished training in the weights room.
It was really motivational seeing the buzz around the torch, it gets you excited about competing.
Sometimes it is tough to get fired up for every session, all the time, but events like this are a flaming reminder to why we go through all the hard sessions.
Me, Rob de Castella and Tom Laurich at Wednesday night’s Olympic dinner hosted by the Chinese Ambassador.
Jiang Xiaoyu, left, executive vice-president of the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee (or BOCOG), me and Tom Laurich.
** NOTE: The Australian Olympic men’s eight will feature in a story on Wide World of Sports on Channel 9 this Sunday, 27th April from 9.30am. Tune in! **
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(16)
Spiro Zavos said | April 25th 2008 @ 11:36am | Report comment
This is a fantastic post which takes us right inside the rigorous, Spartan life of an Olympic athlete. It gets to the heart of what the Olympics are really about – young people, in the prime of their lives, dedicating themselves to become the best in the world at their particular sports. The rowing eights is a glamour event and I’ll be following the James Chapman Olymoic diary with great interest, all the way – hopefully – to the winning finishing line.
Fridge said | April 25th 2008 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Great article, i can’t wait for the next installment…
Jolly Frog said | April 26th 2008 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
An Aussie IV went to China in 2005 on the way to the World Champs in Japan . They were only there 10 minutes when 3 of 4 of them ended up in hospital on drips with the chromic shits etc from food poisoning . This is no way to treat international athletes visiting your country . Clearly the Chiese don’t care and it gives their athletes a better chance if they can make all the visiting competitors sick before they compete . What are the plans to prevent this happening this time to our boys and girls competing ; do you want me to arrange a coupla pallets of VB and a bag of ice and the Aussies just stick to a liquid diet of good Aussie brew until the racing is over ? Hopefully the Aussie rowing squad , the whole Olympic Aussie team going to China , has a plan to manage this serious risk . Any way , good luck ~ kick arse , no prisoners !
Madame Goulash said | April 28th 2008 @ 10:59am | Report comment
More importantly… about that lycra situation. Does that mean because it will be 40 degrees in Beijing, there will be less lycra?? More photos please! Seriously though, congratulations on a fine achievement after many many years of hard work and dedication. All the best with the preparations and feeding sessions!
Jasmine said | April 28th 2008 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
This sounds like an amazing experience!! Hope you are enjoying Canberra! Good luck for 3 May in China!!!
Trudy said | April 29th 2008 @ 9:48am | Report comment
Well ,it is count down to Beijing and what an achievement that you have come this far. Your tenacity and determination have paid off for you to achieve a dream.You’re on the way! Good luck – you have a great team with you in the boat and a great team behind you all the way, your country, your family and friends. Look forward to all the updates on the progress of the campaign.
Dozza said | April 29th 2008 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Good one Chappo!!! Very informative, can’t wait for the next “Roar”. It will be interesting to see who will cox the chinese 8 after their strange selection of same & how good will they be!! Luv ya work.
Running Bear said | April 29th 2008 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
This bloke can row and write! Its great to be able to get some ‘behind the scenes’ from our gold medal definates. Keep up the good work and keep putting oar to paper!
P.S. It looks like de Castella has hold of your gluteus maximus in that top photo.
Miss Fromagerie said | April 30th 2008 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
Fab words, looking forward to the updates, but most importantly the unveiling of what actually goes on in the athletes villiage.
Finally an inside scoop!
Keep travelling fit, and representing the green and gold with fair dinkham spirit.
Evel Knievel said | May 1st 2008 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
im likin what im reading here..i will come back to this regulary. I hear things such as the olympic team having there own chef to avoid contamination. This in theory is a good idea, personally you should stick to a winning formulae which is me..bring me over there and ill lead the charge in the culinary department..On a serious note, bloody good hustle and good luck..
Gambler said | May 3rd 2008 @ 11:22pm | Report comment
Fantastic article – I am greatly looking forward to the next installment! Good luck at the World Champs and all the rest of your Beijing preparations!!!!
Sam Cooper said | May 5th 2008 @ 12:40am | Report comment
Top stuff chappo. Great reading. Keep the updates coming.
D. Mac said | May 8th 2008 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Um James… With a head like that, maybe don’t include any more photo’s… Unless you have a hat and sunnies on.
And how about less whinging about the cold and more training? Surely rowing being such a hard sport that you can only compete in 1 event (track runners and swimmers do heaps – maybe that’s why they’re popular) it must keep you pretty warm.
But seriously… sounds like a hoot, keep up the good work while my tax dollars are paying for you to be overseas… You’d better win bucko!
Ed Sullivan said | May 9th 2008 @ 10:24pm | Report comment
Well D. Mac it looks like you got out of the wrong side of bed. I’m sure with comments like that you must be worthy of an oil painting. Tax payers dollars? my bet is it ain’t half what the government is paying in your medical bills, get of the couch and stop complaining… no one is interested.
Adam said | May 24th 2008 @ 11:56am | Report comment
D.Mac The funny thing is i would be willing to make a bet on the fact that an athlete like James could out swim, out run, out ride and out lift you not to mention out row you. jump on an ergo old mate and smash out a 2k max and see if you feel like smashing out another soon after. Brilliant results at the world cup James keep up the good work.
Sydney Simon said | May 24th 2008 @ 4:45pm | Report comment
Obviously “Dr. Mac” does not understand what rowing does the the physiology of the body.Unlike running, rowing is a power event in that you have to haul yourseld and your boat through water which presents magnatudes of resistance great than air, or the footfall of a runner.
Furthermore, rowers hit maximum heartrate soon after the race begins and must hold that level for the entire race.If there was one athletic event that was close to rowing it would be 400 metre hurdles.Only that rowers do it for 5 minutes, not 1 minute.
There are plenty of events in history to display just how hard rowing is, it is one of the few events along with cycling, where rowers have had seizures or even died after races.Also, in rowing, you cant stop if you feel tired.The only thing that would let you out of the trouble Sally Robins got into, would be if you went on to have a heart attack.That being said,as a former grade rower for Sydney Rowing Club, those girls in the boat that criticised Sally sure seemed to have plenty of energy to have a go at her when she fell.I question how in the hell any Olympic rower could have enough energy to muster that level of agression after an event, unless they were bludging.That is what I charge Sally Robin’s former crew mates of, bludging.
Great article James, keep it up.Rowing is in my view the absolute elite sport of discipline,power, endurance and overcoming the pain barrier.