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Lawrence backs Coast's Roberts Gold Coast Sport
LEGENDARY swim coach Laurie Lawrence says Gold Coast product James Roberts can not be counted out of the race for 100m freestyle gold in London.
The spotlight is on James Magnussen after his world championship win last year and searing time of 47.10sec at the Australian Olympic trials last month.
As the man who masterminded the underdog gold medal campaigns of Jon Sieben and Duncan Armstrong, Lawrence is well aware of the upsets that can happen at the Olympics.
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"Anyone who got a lane has got a weapon," Lawrence said.
"Everyone is talking about Magnussen. But you go back and look at the people they were talking up before Olympic trials.
"Libby Trickett, Thorpey (Ian Thorpe), Skippy (Geoff Huegill).
"Where are they? Libby made it in the relay,[url=http://www.floware.fr]www.floware.fr[/url], the men are not there.
"You can discount anyone who in an event. That always been my philosophy."
Lawrence, who will again act as an Australian team mentor in London, was emcee at a celebration at the Southport pool yesterday to mark 100 days to the Games.
Known by many as a colourful larrikin, Lawrence is an astute coach who led several Queensland swimmers to Olympic medals in the 1980s and early 1990s.
"Go back to some of the kids I coached," Lawrence said.
"Jon Sieben was ranked 50th in the world or something (before he won the 200m butterfly in world record time in 1984).
"Duncan Armstrong was ranked 47 or something (before he swamped American favourite Matt Biondi in the final lap of the 200m freestyle to win gold in 1988).
"I say, the most important thing is your preparation. If you prepare properly, you got a chance.
"If you don prepare properly, you don deserve to have a chance."
Southport five Olympic Games representatives, including Brenton Rickard, took part in a relay with swimmers from their club, with Rickard keen to kindle the youngsters Olympic dreams.
"I have a very fond memory of (dual Olympic gold medallist) Kieren Perkins coming and doing a clinic up in Cairns when I was living and swimming up there," Rickard said.