NICK D'ARCY'S COACH BRIAN STEHR GIVES AN INSIGHT INTO THE SWIMMER'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL TOUGHNESS
August 31: With the countdown on for the Delhi Commonwealth Games......NICK D'ARCY'S coach BRIAN STEHR gives Ian Hanson an insight into the swimmer's mental and physical toughness
With the countdown on for the Delhi Commonwealth Games, Nick D'Arcy's coach Brian Stehr reveals how a 3000m heart-rate set could be the turning point in preparing his charge to take on the world's best.
Stehr reveals in a one-on-one interview with the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association the details of "the session last November" at Noosa Aquatic Centre and how that could well be the turning point in his quest for Olympic glory in London 2012.
"When he said he wanted to do the heart-rate set butterfly... all of it....I said I didn't think that was such a good idea," reveals Stehr.
"I told him that it would affect us for quiet some days afterwards but in his own way he managed to convince me that he would do it.
"I didn't have any doubts he could do it but it's a pretty tough call for anybody.
"I have seen many levels of pain on his face after many years together and he just did an amazing job that day....I said to him afterwards we're not going to do that very often."
D'Arcy will next month attempt to become only the third Australian to win the 200m butterfly at a Commonwealth Games, behind the late Olympic champion Kevin Berry, who won the gold in Perth in 1962 and Justin Norris who won the title in Manchester 40 years later in 2002.
The 22-year-old from Noosa Aquatic Centre has returned home to Queensland after testing the world's greatest swimmer Michael Phelps when he won silver behind the Olympic and world champion and world record holder at the recent Pan Pacs in Irvine California.
Stehr reveals how D'Arcy, denied his chance to swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 World Championships after a well publicised incident with former swimmer Simon Cowley, loves to race the best.
"One of the best things he can do for himself is to race Michael Phelps and I can tell you when he gets on the blocks to race Phelps he's there to beat him," reveals Stehr.
"Nick's not beaten before the gun goes off and I think that's a great mental approach to it (racing) because he's racing somebody who is really well known as a super star of swimming - probably the greatest of all time.
"Anybody who has worked with Nick in a training environment, can't believe what he puts himself through in the training pool. He is very mentally tough, he's very physically tough and he deserves any success that comes his way."
And what will it take to beat Phelps?
"A two or three second drop in the 200 butterfly for sure...it's really just a big question mark for us and we just have to prepare and control the things that we can control and have Nick ready to race when the time comes and believe that he will do a great job."
For the full Brian Stehr interview click the below link
BRIAN STEHR INTERVIEW