Take the Perfect Performance Quiz If you Dare

All swimmers aim to swim the perfect race, that one race, the race of a lifetime where everything works to perfection.

Let’s see how you rate your last swim on our exclusive “Perfect Performance Quiz”.

How did you prepare the night before your last race?

A: Partied all night

B: Entered a chocolate eating competition (and won)

C: Had a light healthy low fat meal of complex carbohydrates, read a book and went to bed early.

What did you have for breakfast on the morning of your last swim meet?

A: Eggs and Bacon and Coffee

B: Cocoa Pops and Chocolate Milk

C: Toast, fruit, low fat yogurt and juice.

What did you do for a warm up at your last swim meet?

A: Swung my arms around in a circle a few times

B: Watched T.V. and got to the pool late

C: A good stretch, a team talk, some light swimming, practiced a few turns and starts, another stretch, talked with my coach and kept warm.

Sitting in the stands waiting for my race I:

A: Ate lollies, sang Spice Girls songs with my friends and drank soft drink

B: Told myself how I was going to lose the race

C: Rested. Got up and stretched from time to time. Sipped on a bottle of water and relaxed.

When I was called for my race I:

A: Ran screaming from the building

B: Went back to sleep

C: Got up and started moving to get my body and mind ready to race.

In the marshalling area I:

A: Listened to everyone telling me how fast they were and how much training they do and got freaked out

B: Chewed on my goggles

C: Talked quietly with a teammate, stretched lightly and controlled my breathing

What did you do behind the blocks?

A: Waved to mum and dad in the stands

B: Danced the Macarena

C: Controlled my breathing, thought about swimming my own race and focussing on my own lane.

When I got up on the blocks I:

A: Faced the wrong way

B: Wished I was somewhere else

C: Thought about exploding off the blocks and the first three strokes

What did you do when you hit the water after your dive?

A: Sank to the bottom

B: Swam really great breaststroke (but it was freestyle race)

C: Concentrated on holding a great streamline, kicked powerfully into my first stroke and exploded to the surface at maximum speed.

During the race I:

A: Checked out the costume design of the other swimmers

B: Looked across the lanes to see who was in front

C: Swam my own race, controlled my breathing and pace, kept my strokes long and attacked the turn aggressively.

When I came to the turn I:

A: Hit my head on the wall and knocked myself out

B: Breathed on every stroke inside the flags

C: Attacked the wall, got as tight as possible during the turn, kicked powerfully out of the turn, streamlined and exploded to the surface.

What did you do when it started to hurt during the second lap?

A: Slowed down

B: Slowed down a lot

C: Focused on keeping my strokes long and strong and smooth.

In the final ten metres I:

A: Faked a cramp

B: Breathed on every stroke then forgot to touch the wall

C: Swum powerfully, not breathing on my last six strokes and kept pumping my legs until my hands touched the wall.

What did you when you finished?

A: Kicked the winner under the water

B: Did another lap because I lost count

C: Congratulated a teammate who had done a PB.

When I got out of the water I:

A: Made mum and dad buy me a chocolate because I tried so hard

B: Went home and played computer games

C: Spoke with my coach about the race, wrote the coach’s comments in my training diary, did a swim down, ate a small piece of fruit, drank some water, stretched then rested.

How to Score This Quiz:

Award yourself:

1 Points for every “A” score

2 Points for every “B” score

3 Points for every “C” score

How did you go?

15-18 Points: Take up cricket! Take up ballet! Take up origami! And be careful getting into the bath: you might drown!

19- 22 Points: Not bad. You might get a job as a surf lifesaver (in the desert).

23- 26 Points: You’re like a dead fish, (a bit smelly and easy to catch).

27 – 30 Points: Keep trying. You can improve.

31 – 34 Points: You’re learning. Big things are ahead for you.

35 – 38 Points: Potential superstar. Keep working on the little things.

39 – 42 Points: Doing most things right. Anything is possible for you.

43 – 45 Points:Look out Sam and Susie. Look out Michael Klim and watch out Ian Thorpe. You are Olympic material!

Wayne Goldsmith