He was Olympic finalist in 2012, winner of four medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but Mitch Larkin’s rise to fame happened in 2015, with his double gold at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan (RUS). Champion in the 100m and 200m backstroke, the 22-year-old Australian will be the man to beat in this stroke at the 2016 Rio Games.

Before his participation in the eighth and final leg of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup in Dubai (UAE), we spoke with him, analysing his 2015 season and naturally projecting next year, and its major rendezvous, the Olympics in Brazil.

“It was an amazing season, one that you wonder where it came from. I am training quite well for now one year and a half/two years, and it was just a matter of executing my races right. I am also surprised on how fast I am swimming at the World Cup, and I just hope I can continue converting my good training in good races in 2016, with the preparation, qualification and ultimately the participation at the Games”, he says.


©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia

A Brisbane native, Larkin clocked 52.40 and 1:53.58 to respectively win his 100m and 200m races in Kazan, and got a third medal (silver) in the 4x100m medley relay. The legitimate question is: will this world success be also an Olympic one?

“My performances this year would say yes, but the competition will be tough. There are the two boys I’ve beaten in the 100m [Camille Lacourt, FRA, second, and Matt Grevers, USA, third], who will probably race in their last Olympics, but there are of course other Americans, and there is also [Japan’s Ryosuke] Irie, who is competing fast and also training well”.

His 200m backstroke performance in Russia meant the end of a US saga in this event at the World Championships’ level: from 1998 to 2013, the victory in this event went to the North Americans (Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lochte are of course in this successful list). Larkin explains his success in the 200m: “That’s the one I enjoy the most. But you need the other ones – 50m and 100m – to get good performances in the 200m. I train for all three and I enjoy the training. I am really looking forward to great races in Rio!

Asked if he anticipates a World Record in the Olympic distances (100m – 51.94, 200m – 1:51.92, both by Peirsol), the Australian is clear: “I personally think that it will take a WR in the 100m to be Olympic champion. It seems more difficult in the 200m (but it will be close…). I am presently working on improving some processes, and if I can win some time on this, I believe I can be close to the WR”.

Larkin, who also won the 100m backstroke at the 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Doha (QAT) is part of Michael Bohl’s team, a coach that had in Stephanie Rice the female athlete in evidence at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (CHN).

“It’s an amazing group! He is experienced and his knowledge is outstanding. Steph Rice being his biggest success, I trust him a lot. Everyone is training very hard for the Olympics”.

 


SWC 2015 in Doha ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia

 

On his personal experience in the World Cup - he also raced in Tokyo (JPN) and Doha (QAT), winning on both occasions the 100m and 200m backstroke -, the Australian (1.87m, 72kg) is happy with the switch to 50m-pool.

“I personally enjoy racing long course and having the Olympics next year, you can prepare well for the event. It’s tough to be in good shape meet after meet, but this is the kind of training you need while preparing for the Games. I love it, it’s a great competition”.

Growing up in a sunshine coast next to his hometown, Larkin was a surf boy and a lover of nice beaches. Swimming came from there and the talent was soon noticed. “Even before the high school, I decided I would try to take swimming seriously and be an Olympian. As a young kid, I watched the Games in Sydney in 2000 and my idols were Thorpe and Hackett”. The “dream came true” in London 2012 – he was eighth in the 200m back. 2016 could definitively be much better.