Kirlew not overawed by occasion

Paris, France:

A NEW era in Jamaican swimming begins tomorrow as Josh Kirlew leads off the country’s campaign in the men’s 100-metre butterfly at 4:00 a.m. Jamaica time from the Paris La Défense Arena.

Kirlew will be in the first heat, hoping to make the most of his Olympic debut in a year where he not only took the sport seriously, but made his debut for Jamaica. The British-born athlete said the reason for his growth this year was not only taking himself as a swimmer seriously, but also becoming more aware of who he was and what he wanted to be in the sport.

Now in the biggest meet of his young career, the 24-year-old says he is mentally ready.

“I got to make sure that I don’t skimp on any of the work in the pool, make sure I hit my process goals and do what coach demands, and make sure, ultimately, don’t get in my head too much,” Kirlew told The Gleaner.

“Because one thing I am always big on is that the mental game is more important than the physical game. I have to make sure because if your head is not in the game, the results will not be either.”

Kirlew hopes to lead the way for young talent in Jamaica, and while he knows the competition will be fierce, he does not plan to be starstruck and wants to prove that he belongs with the best.

“It is quite refreshing. I see these big names and the fact is that I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t deserve to be here. If anything, it is a little unnerving, but it is quite refreshing to know that the best athletes in the world are here and I am one of them,” Kirlew said.

National head coach Wendy Lee says Kirlew, along with national teammate Sabrina Lyn, who competes on Saturday, is determined not just to make up the numbers.

“No one is going into this competition saying that ‘I have made it. This is my last opportunity’. All of them are going in with ‘This is my first opportunity. I am going to gather all the information I can. I am going to get all the experience I can’,” Lee said.

Kirlew’s personal best in the 100 fly is 54.24 seconds, which he achieved at the World Championships in February, his first competition in Jamaican colours.

Daniel Wheeler