​Buxton’s Abbie Wood 'chilled and relaxed' ahead of second Olympic Games

In the delayed Tokyo Olympics three years ago – held over to 2021 due to the Covid pandemic – Wood missed out on a medal by just a tenth of a second in the 200m individual medley, finishing fourth, and also missed out with the 4x100m Medley Relay team, finishing in fifth place.

But this time, and with a very different atmosphere set to welcome her in Paris, the 25-year-old feels ready to launch another assault on the podium.

She said: “I feel a lot more calm this time around and like I know what I’m doing. I’m a lot more settled.

"It will be a very different Games to Tokyo and will hopefully be much more of an Olympic Games atmosphere. There, we didn’t have any crowds watching us and even the overall experience was different because we couldn’t go and watch other sports or enjoy things in the same way given there were so many restrictions.

"So that will hopefully add to the enjoyment of it rather than adding pressure, and I’m just aiming to remain chilled out and do the best I can.”

Another big difference this time around will be having the support of family and friends in the stands watching on, something Wood is thrilled about.

She said: “They were all gutted they couldn’t come and watch before and although I knew everyone was watching on TV, it wasn’t the same.

"I’m so thrilled they can come because my career hasn’t just been down to me, it’s a whole team of people who have put in so much effort to help me so I see it as a huge reward for them to be able to be there, watching me in an Olympic Games.

"At the time I didn’t realise the difference it made to them, not being able to go, so this time it will be fantastic to have them there.”

In terms of her form, Wood is in confident mood. She’ll again compete in the 200m IM as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay. It is yet to be decided whether she’ll also swim in the 4x100m relay too.

She said: “I’ve put myself in the best shape I can. I obviously can’t control those around me but I feel good and confident.

"I’m pretty relaxed – if it doesn’t go my way it’s not the be all and end all. Others may feel the pressure more than me, and often I don’t know how nervous I am until the day of the races, but I think my mentality has reflected in the results in the pool.

"It’s a hard balance. You can get too hungry and get too upset if things go wrong, but it’s important to have a certain maturity in sport and remember that it’s just fun really and shouldn’t be something that has a negative effect on you, even if sport can be very cut throat at times.

"If you learn to detach from that, you can enjoy the fact you’re doing something that makes you happy.”

Being a full-time swimmer is another key difference for Wood this time around, with her having been studying at Loughborough University alongside her sporting endeavours whilst preparing for Tokyo.

"It makes a difference because obviously it’s my only focus now,” she said.

"I feel so lucky to do this. I always thought when I was younger I’d want to get out into the real world but my dad says to me that I should enjoy this while I can – travelling the world and racing.

"I could understand the opinion being different if I wasn’t making a living out of it, but I’m having fun and seeing the world.”

Wood departed for the Team GB training camp in Reims on Wednesday (17th) with the rest of the squad, with the swimming events beginning on July 27.

In terms of her chances for success, Wood feels that competition will again be tough but that she is confident she can challenge for a podium spot.

She said: “I really feel like it’s anyone’s Games to be honest. The two medleys will be really competitive – there are eight of us who have swum to within two seconds of the world record this year and that hasn’t happened for several years.

"The relays are always that bit more challenging given how strong the Australians are but we’ll give it everything.”

And as for the prospect of competing at a second Olympic Games, is it something a young Abbie ever dared dream of while swimming back in Buxton as a child?

"It’s weird to think back that far now, but although I was a pretty confident kid and always backed myself, if you told me then that I’d make it to two Olympics I probably wouldn’t have expected it, so I’m just trying to enjoy it all as much as I can.”