Swimmers ‘too fat, spoiled’

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 30

Swimmers ‘too fat, spoiled’

NZPA-AAP Seoul Australia’s women swimmers were too fat and too spoiled, the Olympic head swim coach, Bill Sweetenham, said yesterday. Mr Sweetenham, not exactly trim himself, said several of the Australian women in Seoul here were carrying kilos of butter on their bums. The Commonwealth 100 m backstroker, Nicole Livingstone and the middle distance freestyler, Sheridan Burge-Lopez, were singled out after their disappointing performances in Thursday’s heats. Both swam well outside their personal bests. “Nicole is carrying an anchor on her bum and Sheridan is swimming with two kilos of butter on hers,” Mr Sweetenham said. But being obviously trim did not help Janelie Elford, who has dropped eight kilos in the last few months to look like a racing greyhound. She only finished fifth in the final of Thursday evenings 400 m freestyle final, still a disappointment although it is her second string event after the 800 m.