Crichton and Power forge strong swimming bond

Press, 15 April 1988, Page 20

Crichton and Power forge strong swimming bond

A “cheeky” request by Roly Crichton to a leading Canterbury swimming coach, Clive Power, initiated a six year bond which has gone from strength to strength. Crichton broke his back in 1976 when he was thrown from a beach buggy on Woodend beach. He fought back from the disillusionment and now holds numerous world disabled swimming records. Power was the head coach at the Wharenui pool when Crichton made his approach to ask if he would coach him. “After he had showed me what he could do, it was obvious that he was coachable. He was in fact very strong and he was determined in his attitue,” said Power. “He was not going to

I leave me until he got a coach.” - i Power had never coached a paraplegic swimmer before and he decided not j to (treat Crichton any differently from the other swimmers. ( ( “I told him that if he was going to do it he would not be treated any differently to anyone else. He was put in the masters class and just had to cope.” ! j But Crichton soon distinguished himself; as a hard’ worker and a! character. i “He earnt the respect of everyone else. If he got in the way the other swimmers swam over top of him. It toughened him up a bit,” said Power. Crichton broke his first world record in 1981 and i has never looked

back since, competing in every wheelchair games. Aged 30 years he! is now preparing for (the Seoul disabled Olympics which will be held two weeks after the ablebodied fixture. Crichton works at a

butchery for up to ■■ 10 hours a day and often goes on to complete; 120 to 130 lengths of a 25m pool which includes stroke work and drills setj by Power. Power now owns ( his own swimming centre in conjunction with Brett Naylor, an Olympic frejestyle representative in (1976. The Aqua Gym on I Cashel Street (has facilities for disabled swimmers with special showers and changing rooms. “But they have to wash and dry themselves afterwards. Too many expect everything to be done for them,” said Critchon. Working with Crichton has heightened Power’s respect for the gutsy approach Crichton shows towards the sport and

has made him aware of the lack of interest shown by other spoils bodies. “People don’t realize that Roly has to train just as hard as an ablebodied swimmer and keep a job down.” “The Sports Federation has not always given it a fair go,” he added. “People have got a hell of a lot to learn about how to fine tune a paraplegic athlete and we need to dispense with the condescending attitudes. There is always a lot of news about able-bodied swimmers which might have missed out on qualifying for one event in Seoul and we hear virtually nothing about Roly qualifying in four events for the disabled Olympics.” DIANNA LESLIE.