BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — COMPETING in the Olympic Games is a tremendous experience, but deriving valuable lessons from it to develop athletes is even more significant.
National Swimming Coach James Weekes shared this perspective after accompanying national athlete Troy Nisbett to the ongoing Paris Olympics. Nisbett achieved a personal best in the 50m freestyle event.
Although Nisbett competed in just one race at the Paris Games, Weekes highlighted the invaluable exposure gained from performing on an international stage in front of thousands of spectators.
Previously, Nisbett had participated in regional competitions and the World Championship, but the Olympics represents the pinnacle of competitive swimming, with arenas filled to capacity during both day and evening sessions.
“So we blended nicely and everything went according to plan,” said Weekes. “And there was only one thing I asked of the athlete, which was to make sure when you swim, give me a PB. That's all. I'm not asking for you to break any record. Just a PB. Bring back a PB and we're good. He accomplished his goal of setting a personal best.”
This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering Nisbett's usual training environment is the Caribbean Sea, which lacks the facilities of an Olympic-sized pool.
Now that Nisbett has had the opportunity to showcase his talent on a global stage, Weekes plans to involve him in more international events to further build his confidence.
“So, the plan is to make sure to get him involved in a lot more outside competition. Seemingly, well, for a fact, we don't have the facility here so that he can train efficiently and effectively,” explained Weekes.
He also noted, “I anticipated he might feel nervous and shaky due to the high level of competition, but he handled it as if he were swimming in his own backyard.”
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