MIRAMAS, France, Jul 13 –Having the advantage of going through a progressive sporting career, Kenyan swimmer Maria Brunlehner is reaping the benefits with her sights set on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This is the first time she will be competing at the highest stage having participated in the world championships and at the continental level.
“It’s always a joy representing my country at the Olympics, it’s every sportsperson’s dream, so I was excited when I was among selected through the universality. Today I had an easy session in the morning, just to feel the body before embarking on proper training from tomorrow, as we build up to Paris,” the 24-year-old United States based told Capital Sport.
Brunlehner noted the importance of the pre-training camp in the same weather conditions similar to the one she will face in Paris where the hot temperatures are expected to rise.
“It’s very important to acclimatize, because the conditions will be similar during the games. It’s different competing away from home but in swimming it is easy to adapt,” Brunlehner added.
“Competing at the Olympics is the peak of swimming, it’s an honor to compete there and I am really excited, ready to show what I have been training for,” she said.
She added, “Emily Muteti was at the last Olympics in Tokyo and she did a good job, my sister did not make it, so I will go to the Olympics and represent my country and do my best.”
She will be competing in the 50m freestyle and will be seeking to shutter her own national record once again after timing 26.12 seconds at this year’s Doha World Championships.
“Hopefully I will break the national record again, I will go do my best, I know I will make an impact. I am my own competitor, everyone is a competitor, so I try my best not to compare myself with other swimmers, I focus on myself,” Brunlehner, a two-time gold medalist at the 2018 Africa Youth Games said.
On experience, she remarked, “It is extremely important to be consistence in swimming, if you want to compete well in international championships, then consistency is key, you need to work hard but also know how to balance with rest.”
MARIA PROFILE
NAME: MARIA CHANTAL BRUNLEHNER
AGE: 24
CLUB: GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
HOMETOWN: MOMBASA, KENYA
HOBBIES: PHOTOGRAPHY, READING
FAVOURITE FOOD: GRILLED KING PRAWNS
OCCUPATION: STUDENT/ATHLETE
HIGH SCHOOL: SPORTSCHULE POTSDAM
UNIVERSITY: GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
POSITION: SWIMMING
CATEGORY: 50M FREESTYLE
COACH: WILLIAM MALALO
ROLE MODEL: OLDER SISTERS ANNA AND SYLVIA
NATIONAL TEAM DEBUT: COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2018
ACHIEVEMENTS: BRONZE MEDALIST 2019 AFRICA GAMES (4 × 100 metre), MEDALIST AT YOUTH AFRICAN GAMES 2018, MEDALIST AT WESTERN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS COLLEGE.
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Miramas, France-
