The VIS (Victorian Institute of Sport) has been producing a 12-part short documentary series over the last 12 months, focusing on different sports and athletes on their path to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Producer Lachlan McKinnon has been a rower for six years and was the producer of the web series ‘Unsinkable: The Race to Recovery’, following Australian rower John Linke’s return to the Australian National Team after a debilitating leg injury. He was commissioned by the VIS to produce the Road to Rio series.
A description of the series, in McKinnon’s words:
“Each 5-6 minute episode focused on a unique sport and athlete including water polo (Rowie Webster), gymnastics (Mary-Anne Monckton, Emma Nedov, Kiara Munteanu), wheelchair rugby (Australian Steelers), rowing (Australian men’s coxless four) and swimming to name a few. They aim to give an insight into their personal background, motivations, training schedule, goals and dreams, and the opinions of those around them including coaches, family, friends and mentors”.
The swimming episode (found below) focuses on 2016 Olympian Josh Beaver and 2016 Paralympian Monique Murphy.
Beaver narrowly missed a spot on the 2012 Olympic team in the 200 backstroke by two tenths of a second, but has come back and qualified in both the 100 and 200 this time around. Murphy was a competitive swimmer before walking away from the sport, but then sustained a horrific injury causing her to lose her lower leg in 2014. She has qualified for Rio in both fly and freestyle events in the S10 category.
