Cat Woods

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Swift by name, swift by nature

Jack Swift Olympian 2012
I really hit the jackpot this week. After the pleasure of interviewing Barry Hall I had the great fortune on Monday to quiz a London Olympian and Cleo Bachelor of The Year 2011 (sorry Jack, I think it's awesome - if it were me, I'd wear a sash full time).

Jack Swift is one of the Australian Paralympic Team competing in the 4 x 100m amputee relay team and the 400m individual sprint against South African Oscar Pistorius - a threat that he's not taking lightly.

For the past six months, Jack has been on a scholarship at the Victorian Institute of Sport working with seasoned strength and conditioning trainers, massage therapists, physios and sports psychologists. His training at present is 7 days a week. He soon leaves for Cardiff where his training will taper off and the focus will be on technical issues such as starts.

Jack is a personal trainer at Macleod YMCA and considering doing his Dip. Ed. to teach physical education. He's enormously intelligent and dedicated to training - whatever he chooses to do, I have no doubt that he'll achieve it and more. Here is his week:

Mon: strength & conditioning training (1.5 - 2hrs)

Tue: track work

Wed: strength & conditioning (includes rower/bike/bench press/cable hip extension/Smith Machine single leg squat)

Thu: track work

Fri: strength & conditioning (includes 10 minutes of core work and stretching)

Sat & Sun: track work

On August 9th, he leaves for London - congratulations Jack. You worked to get to the 2012 Olympics and you deserve to win.