Schlanger's unlikely saviour

$17,000 can buy a brand new Nissan Micra, a year’s private school fees. Or, in Melanie Schlanger’s case, three Olympic medals.

Melanie received just that amount from Swimming Australia in 2012, to finance a campaign that yielded a gold and two silvers in the pool. For 35 hours a week of early mornings, tired bodies and distant dreams. For a life on hold in pursuit of glory on the world’s biggest stage.

How much does an Olympic campaign cost? Well, ask Melanie’s parents Paul and Linda. They’ve had to reach deep into their pockets to finance the dream. Think $100,000 over two years.

It’s not an uncommon tale. The funding is thin, and what there is often goes to the marquee athletes who already make a packet from endorsements.

Geoff Huegill took to Twitter to write off Schlanger’s plea for more funding, while picking up far more than his share for his comeback, and he didn’t make the team.

It is ridiculous that our athletes are asked to fund their campaigns to such an extent, and just as stupid of the lucky ones to comment.

They aren’t asking for a free ride, only for enough so they don’t find their chosen sport completely cost prohibitive. After all, 35 hours is a full time job.

The Schlangers funds don’t run forever, and Melanie said this week that if nothing changes she would likely have to give international swimming away, a month after inspiring a nation at the Games.

Enter, Russell Tait.

Russell runs Deniliquin Freighters. He isn’t much of a swimming fan or of the Olympics in general, but early one morning he flicked on the TV at home to see Melanie and her teammates break Australia’s gold medal drought.

Later, a headline caught his attention, and he learnt of her problems with funding.

He’d never watched swimming. He’d never even met Melanie. But he tracked down her management, made a phone call, and pledged $10,000 of his own hard earned to keep her in the pool. Then he went down to the local pub, told the story, and raised another ten.

“We don’t make a lot of money. With the drought, some years we’ve lost a lot. We’re used to running on the smell of an oily rag. If we can help, we will, and it’ll be good for everyone.”

Despite multiple medals, Melanie qualifies for international meets without knowing if the cash will be available to get there. And now, with this money, she’ll be at a couple of World Cup meets in Asia in the coming months.

It’s a small step towards the next World Champs, but it’s a step.

Sometimes, it takes someone as plain talking as Russell to cut through to the heart of the issue, and the issue is this:

If a couple of hard up truckies can raise more in a day than Swimming Australia can in a year, what hope do we have in Rio?

Follow Will on Twitter @will_mccloy