Olympic gold medalist Olivia Wunsch has arrived in Canberra for wet plate testing at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a high-performance biomechanical analysis system designed to optimize starts, turns and relay turnovers for elite swimmers. The 19-year-old, who won gold as part of Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay team in Paris, is fine-tuning her skills ahead of the national titles, which double as selection meets for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific championships.
Wunsch, who stashed her Olympic gold medal in a sock in her wardrobe, is focusing on the technical aspects of her swimming. 'We're focusing on wet plate testing, so we're tracking out where our dives are at and our turns,' she said. 'Any minor changes you can make in those skill specific components are really important.'
The testing is part of a cross-border agreement between the ACT Academy of Sport, NSW Institute of Sport, Swimming NSW and Swimming Australia, aimed at boosting Australia's chances in the pool ahead of the Los Angeles and Brisbane Olympics. Bronte Campbell previously used a similar training program split between Canberra and Sydney on her way to gold in Paris.
Wunsch, who dominated the world junior scene before joining the senior team, sees the AIS facilities as crucial. 'To be able to use these facilities is really important for all of us, and to have the access is just really incredible,' she said. The wet plate testing allows her to measure forces generated during dives and turns, helping her make minor tweaks that can lead to significant race improvements.
