Starting from the outside position, short track skater Brendan Corey delivered an explosive start in the Men’s 500m Heats.
“I really surprised myself,” Corey said. “I didn’t put any pressure on myself before this race; I just wanted to go out there and skate as fast as I could and see what happens.”
Article courtesy olympics.com.au
Cheered on in the stands by Australian Olympic Champion and Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin, Corey said he got off to a “rocket start” giving himself the best position to fight for a crucial top two finish.
“I was going really well but then at the apex of the turn I bumped with the Dutch and I lost my footing and lost my speed.” Corey said. “Once that gap is created it’s so hard to close because they’re all going so fast and there was not much else I could have done.
“I gave it my all and the guys in front of me skated a clean race, so that’s good for them but not so good for me.”
Finishing his heat in fourth with a time of 41.845 wasn’t enough to move the Canadian-born Aussie through to the quarterfinals, but there were plenty of positives to take from his second Olympic campaign.
“I know I gave everything I had on the day in each of my events so I can’t be upset with that,” Corey said. “Every race has its own lessons to be learned, both positive and negative, and in a couple of weeks I’ll look back on the races and reflect more critically on how I performed.”
For now, Corey will enjoy a few well-deserved days of soaking up life in the Milan Olympic Village, before he turns his attention to the upcoming World Championships.
“I have only a few weeks before Worlds so it’s important to me not to dwell on any of this too much,” Corey said. “I love representing Australia and I love competing at the Olympics, but I know the result or the ranking does not reflect who I am as an athlete.
“To me, the most important thing is focusing on improving myself, becoming stronger technically and physically, and the results will be what they be.
I went out there and I gave it everything I have. I’m really happy with that.”
“I really surprised myself,” Corey said. “I didn’t put any pressure on myself before this race; I just wanted to go out there and skate as fast as I could and see what happens.”
Article courtesy olympics.com.au
Cheered on in the stands by Australian Olympic Champion and Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin, Corey said he got off to a “rocket start” giving himself the best position to fight for a crucial top two finish.
“I was going really well but then at the apex of the turn I bumped with the Dutch and I lost my footing and lost my speed.” Corey said. “Once that gap is created it’s so hard to close because they’re all going so fast and there was not much else I could have done.
“I gave it my all and the guys in front of me skated a clean race, so that’s good for them but not so good for me.”
Finishing his heat in fourth with a time of 41.845 wasn’t enough to move the Canadian-born Aussie through to the quarterfinals, but there were plenty of positives to take from his second Olympic campaign.
“I know I gave everything I had on the day in each of my events so I can’t be upset with that,” Corey said. “Every race has its own lessons to be learned, both positive and negative, and in a couple of weeks I’ll look back on the races and reflect more critically on how I performed.”
For now, Corey will enjoy a few well-deserved days of soaking up life in the Milan Olympic Village, before he turns his attention to the upcoming World Championships.
“I have only a few weeks before Worlds so it’s important to me not to dwell on any of this too much,” Corey said. “I love representing Australia and I love competing at the Olympics, but I know the result or the ranking does not reflect who I am as an athlete.
“To me, the most important thing is focusing on improving myself, becoming stronger technically and physically, and the results will be what they be.
I went out there and I gave it everything I have. I’m really happy with that.”
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