James Magnussen Targets 2018 Commonwealth Games
2017 Sette Colli
June 23 - June 25Rome, Italy
Stadio del Nuoto
LIVE RESULTS
Star Australian sprinter James Magnussen -- the fifth-fastest performer of all-time in the 100m freestyle (47.10) -- is back in the saddle and racing fast after some time away from the water.
At the 2017 Sette Colli Sunday, Magnussen claimed third in a tight 100m freestyle with a solid 48.77 behind Dominik Kozma of Hungary (48.68) and Bruno Fratus of Brazil (48.75). In the interview above, Magnussen discusses rehab progress -- both pre and post Rio -- from a surgery on his left shoulder as well as his plans for the future.
Back in February of this year, the 25 year-old Magnussen told Adelaide Now, "I honestly felt after London (2012) I was lesser of a person for not having won that gold medal and it’s taken some time and taken probably some examples from other people to realise that is not a defining characteristic for your life.”
Magnussen redeemed his 2012 disappointments with a gold medal in the 100m freestyle -- his signature event -- at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, posting a solid 47.71. While this was a confidence-builder for the Aussie, it was still well off his best and actually slower than his silver-medal performance in London 2012 (47.53).
Trying to climb his way back to the top, Magnussen underwent successful shoulder surgery in June 2015 -- booting him out of the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russia and depriving him of an opportunity to defend his world title.
Moving forward, even though he helped the Aussies earn a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay, Magnussen was nowhere near his full potential. Deciding to take some time away from the water, Magnussen opted out of the 2017 Australian Championships in April, thus eliminating the 2017 World Championships from his radar.
Maggie has been training full tilt since the beginning of January and competing through the European circuit -- Mare Nostrum, Sette Colli -- with his sights set on the 2018 Commonwealth Games on home soil in Australia.
He went on to tell Adelaide Now, “So if I win the Comm Games, I’m essentially winning a world title. That’s the way I view it and that’s the way I’m going to prepare for it. I’m going to put a lot of effort into it and that’s my primary objective.”
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