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Wednesday May 22, 2013

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Giaan Rooney defends Leisel Jones from overweight allegations

Posted by: Ellen Feely | 25 July, 2012 - 7:51 AM
Leisal Jones Kenrick Monk Reuters

Former Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney believes allegations that coaches are "privately frustrated" at the condition of Olympic veteran Leisel Jones, are "made up".

Photo: Leisel Jones and Kenrick Monk on the pooldeck yesterday. (Reuters)

Speaking with 3AW Breakfast, Giaan Rooney defended Leisel Jones after the Herald Sun published a two-page spread questioning her condition, which Ross Stevenson said was effectively alleging Leisel Jones was overweight.

"She wouldn't be here in London if coaches were worried about how she was going to perform. That's the bottom line," she said.

"She's done the work to get here, and she deserves the same right as everyone else to be judged on her performance and her performance alone."

Neil Mitchell's Olympic swimming commentator, former Olympian Matt Welsh said the only positive was that it was unlikely Liesel would see the articles, with the team avoiding the media in the Olympics.

LISTEN: Matt Welsh speaks with Neil Mitchell

"Hopefully this hasn't got back to Leisel, but there's really no positive to it," he said.

Matt Welsh said Liesel was probably among the best, if not the best breastroker of all time.

"Liesel's never been a stick-thin swimmer. Her strength is her stroke," he said. "She's got an amazing kick, an amazing ability to hold on in a race."

Giaan Rooney said she was embarrassed to be a member of the media when this type of story was being publishing in the Olympic lead-up. She said the photos published in the Herald Sun were taken from unflattering angles.

While the Herald Sun claims "coaches are privately frustrated at her condition", The Age alleges Jones is not taking the games as seriously as she has in her previous three Olympics.

Image

Page 8 & 9 of this morning's Herald Sun.

"Leisel never put herself up there as the super slim, incredibly cut athlete, she's never had that body shape," she said.

"I don't think her physique has changed at all. She's always had an unusual body shape in terms of what the other swimmers look like, but then we don't have a typical body shape as swimmers anymore."

LISTEN: Giaan Rooney speaks with Ross and John:

 

Blog comments Your Say

  • too fat too slow,waste of taxpayers money..

    garry Friday 3 August, 2012 - 11:05 PM

  • Oops @jgl, how naive of me.

    Willow Friday 27 July, 2012 - 9:19 PM

  • she was always a wonderful swimmer, but now she looks hotter than ever. love her thighs.

    phil Thursday 26 July, 2012 - 9:06 PM

  • @Willow:Judging by the tenor of your last didactic post you've obviously never heard of the colloquialism;Someone's having a lend.

    jgl Melb Thursday 26 July, 2012 - 1:46 PM

  • @jgl, I did say not all. Swimmers and athletes start training and competing at a very early age. I doubt if shooters would need to muscle up as much and they don't need to wear next to nothing and be in water where accidental discharge would be obvious, sorry don't know how else to say it.

    Willow Wednesday 25 July, 2012 - 10:36 PM

  • First Gillard lectures the world on economic reforms and now Carr is lecturing America on the same issue. These political also-rans are writing cheques with their ego that their status and achievement simply cannot cash. They are humiliating Australia. There are an immeasurably more variables to both issues and neither individual has addressed any issue that not only every politician is aware of but the vast majority of citizens are aware of. They have achieved absolutely nothing in this arena beyond massively increasing taxes and cost of living and also selling vast swathes of Australian assets. That is not an achievement. That is a disgrace. The position of foreign minister of Australia has become little more than an American representative that is paid by Australian citizens. Some of you would have been to quality hotels that offer a motorised shoe polishing machine in their rooms. That is essentially what Rudd was. Obama would put his foot in Rudd and Rudd would clean the cheese from Obamas toes. Carr does not bring on such a cringe emotion as Rudd did but he is absolutely nothing on the international political scene. If he was more honest about issues such as the recent incident of an Australian solicitor then he could be tolerated. Now this imbecile is suggesting we should be more flexible, more accommodating and more supportive of Indonesia. We should eliminate Indonesia as our greatest military threat. Only a fool placates terrorists or parties that intimidate. Indonesia is nothing. Take them out of the picture. That would take 30 days and less than $500M. We cant afford to have any more parasites in the political arena. The military and economic security of our nation is swinging in the wind.

    Political Succubus Wednesday 25 July, 2012 - 5:48 PM

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