It’s hard to believe that World 50m Freestyle (Shanghai 2011) Champion, Therese Alshammar won her first national short course title at the tender age of 14. It’s even more surprising that 23 years later, not only is Therese still considered one of the best sprinters in the world but she also resembles a woman half her age… Something in the water perhaps!
During a recent ADN Swim Project Open Day in Caserta (Italy), we asked the mum of one what she considered to be the biggest differences between swimming professionally in your twenties to swimming in your thirties.
What are the biggest differences Therese?
When you get older you have more experience which is a good thing, but you also start comparing yourself more. Once I hit my thirties I began putting more pressure on myself, measuring myself against my past achievements, whereas this was not the case in my twenties, as I had nothing to measure myself against. You compare more as you get older and comparison is not always a good thing.
The key is to try and stay free, to not compare yourself to others or to your own self.
Did your training regime change as you hit your thirties?
Yes, I found I could train more as I got older. In my thirties I became more interested, more invested in training…
