Swim: Jones' Olympic demons remain

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2004
Swim: Jones' Olympic demons remain

By Janelle Miles And Tom Wald

ATHENS, Aug 20 AAP - Leisel Jones just can't seem to wash away her Olympic demons.

She had to settle for silver in the 200m breaststroke at the Athens Games, not able
to climb to the top of the medal dais yet at world level.

The 18-year-old said leading into the Athens Games she had planned to imagine herself
as a red Ferrari and she took the race out hard but it was like her foot slipped off the
accelerator in the final lap.

American Amanda Beard overtook Jones with her trademark scorching last 50m to win the
gold in 2:23.37 - well adrift of her world record (2:22.44) set in California last month.

Jones's best time of 2:22.96 set during heavy training in Brisbane about six weeks
ago would have been enough for her to claim her first Olympic title.

She was ahead of Beard by about a second at the final turn but wasn't able to hold on.

Jones now has four Olympic medals - three silvers and a bronze - after making her debut
at the Sydney 2000 Games as a 15-year-old.

The world 100m world record holder could only manage bronze in the shorter event earlier
this week, admitting she lost her feel of the water during the race.

Her best performances have been in semi-finals or during relatively minor meets, the
teenager succombing to big meet nerves.

Jones's coach Ken Wood said after her 100m disappointment she needed more racing to
help her cope with the anxiety.

"It's just a matter of getting it together in the right race, not the bloody semi-finals
or something," Wood said.

"They get caught up in the emotion. It's like a boxer. If you get hit around the head
enough times you do get a bit punch drunk.

"But Leisel's still pretty resolute. When an athlete's dedicated like she is, she's
probably the most dedicated athlete I've trained, it's just a matter of getting that monkey
off her shoulder.

"There's no problems with what she can do. It's just getting the mindset and getting
her happy and relaxed."

Jones has been having acupuncture in a bid to keep her relaxed in the buildup to the Games.

She'll now have a nervous wait until Saturday before knowing whether she'll swim the
breaststroke leg of the medley relay, another gold medal chance for Australia.

Victorian Brooke Hanson won silver in the individual 100m breaststroke from Jones by
0.01s but the Queenslander clocked a faster time in the semis.

"I'm not the relay coach, thank heavens," Wood said.

"Naturally, I'm biased but realistically, I know what I'd do. It's not as if Leisel's
standing up there on her own.

"We haven't got too much margin there. Just on history, Leisel's always gone faster
(in the relay).

"I'm just looking at what's best for Australia. They may look at it differently and
if they do, I'll just go with that decision."

The final decision will be up to Australian head coach Leigh Nugent and the women's
medley relay coach, Alan Thompson.

AAP jhm/nh

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