James Magnussen Takes On Local NSW Talent In Port Macquarie

Two-time world champion James Magnussen of Australia is set to compete at a local meet in his home town of Port Macquarie this weekend on September 29th and 30th. ‘Maggie’ is expected to race the 100m freestyle, his pet event in which he earned an Olympic silver at the 2012 Games in London, pitting the 26-year-old veteran against up-and-coming New South Wales talent.

“I haven’t seen a lot of the younger swimmers up in that area for a while,” Maggie told Port Macquarie News recently. “It will be a good opportunity to get a feel for what talent is around and I’m always happy to give some advice or tips or help out wherever I can.

“Hopefully that provides some of those younger guys with a bit of an opportunity to race against me too.”

Maggie, who missed out on the 2015 World Championships due to shoulder surgery and narrowly made Australia’s Olympic squad in a relay role in Rio, is looking to the 2018 Commonwealth Games as his return to top-tier elite status.

“Some people plan in four-year cycles and look towards Tokyo whereas I’m just planning it a year at a time at the moment,” he said.

“I don’t think that crossroads moment is necessarily now; it’ll be something that I will take stock of and think about after the Commonwealth Games.”

With his shoulder now at 100% and Maggie having raced in solid form at the World Cup Series’ first cluster, the NSW resident states, “I’ve definitely put the whole shoulder saga behind me now.”

Per Magnussen, “There are no excuses; I try not to ever make excuses and I know these young guys are snapping at my heels, if not right there next to me.

“It’s plenty of motivation for me to keep training hard and I’m really looking forward to mixing it with those guys this season.”

We will report on the meet results after its completion.

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Sir Swimsalot
7 years ago

Good luck Magnussen! He really deserves a good comeback after what he’s been through.

Murica
Reply to  Sir Swimsalot
7 years ago

Wouldnt it be something if Mcevoy, Maggie, and Chalmers could all put together sub 47 at AUS nats and CWG, and then doo doo thier fastskins watching Dressels feet as he goes 46.5 to thier 47 high/ 48 lows at pan pacs

G.I.N.A
Reply to  Murica
7 years ago

I’ll finish the story for you . Then he takes the knee on the podium . The next day the US homicide rate ( which has risen 7% in both 2015 & 2016) is erased completely so no bad policemen are needed any more.

Joy to the world!

crooked donald
Reply to  G.I.N.A
7 years ago

You mean Maggie takes a knee when the victorious U.S. team’s national anthem is played? Not quite what’s going on here in MAGA land. 9 neighborhoods in Chicago (10% of the city’s population) accounted for 10% of the national homicide rate rise in 2016. Crime is always highly localized in the U.S. But feel free to make simplistic generalizations.

G.I.N.A
Reply to  crooked donald
7 years ago

1) Taking the knee stands for what exactly in US culture? It hasn’t been defined so I have to stick with Colin Kaepernick ‘s issues about police killings . From the stats its looks obvious to me why the police may have a corresponding rise in fatal apprehensions if the homicide activity is 7% higher.

2) Why so defensive ? A homicide statistic is a homicide statistic & 2015-16 was against a long decline. If you know the exact location (Ex President Obama’s ex near neighbourhood ) then good but it wasn’t the Chicago team kneeling.

3) The ppl around the globe who are not political might be wondering what is happening if this becomes the face of popular… Read more »

DMacNCheez
Reply to  G.I.N.A
7 years ago

Thank GINA, for taking a funny lighthearted comment by MURICA, and turning this thread into another pointless political debate which has nothing to do with swimming. Bravo!

G.I.N.A
Reply to  DMacNCheez
7 years ago

I finished Murica’s story in the ‘ mocking ‘ hypothetical style he /she wrote it in . Its a literary response . I could have said that if the 3 Australians went sub 47 in March & performed well at CG , they wouldn’t care about Pan Pacs as it would be their winter build up to 2019 . But where is the fun in that ?

But Murica put the context as international event so maybe you could tell me , why 2 US NFL teams knee down to the US anthem in London yet stand up to God Saves The Queen . Isn’t that amazingly disrespectful of the US? Ive been in stadiums of 80,000in the Cold… Read more »

crooked donald
7 years ago

Can’t wait for commonwombat’s insightful comments on this.

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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