With the 2016 Olympic Games just about 276 days away, more and more swimming federations are announcing where their likely Olympic roster line-ups will be partaking in various training camps leading up to Rio. We previously reported that the United States announced its squad will be making their final Olympic preparations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the Russian team has set its sights on Rio Maior, Portugal before heading to São Caetano do Sul, Brazil.
Just this week, the Danish National Swim Team has confirmed that its members will be heading to Bermuda for training over the winter months in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games. Says Denmark’s Head Swimming Coach Nick Juba, “It’s great to have the opportunity to come to Bermuda. We are looking forward to it very much.”
The team and coaching staff, which will total around 20 people all-told, will train at the National Sports Center (NSC) through an agreement partly facilitated through a strategic partnership between the venue and the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA). The Danish team is slated to train at NSC for 2 weeks beginning in late January 2016.
According to Coach Juba, the team will be undertaking an acclimation training of sorts, complete with simulated racing with start times aligned with what swimmers will experience in Rio. “We will be trying to adjust to these out of the ordinary demands whilst we are in Bermuda”, commented Juba.
This plan of attack is similar to what the Australians experienced in their Rio Protocol Camp in September, albeit on Australian soil. A group of 90 elite Dolphin swimmers convened in Canberra in an effort to prepare the athletes of what will be required to keep them fit and focused during the Olympic Games.
Of Denmark’s decision to train in Bermuda, BTA’s Chief Product and Experiences Development Officer, Pat Phillip-Fairn, expressed that, “the Danish National Swim Team coming here to prepare for the 2016 Olympics is easily the most high-profile visit since the agreement [with BTA] took effect in April. Naturally we’re very excited. The Danes confirm that our strategy of Bermuda as a sports training ground is a winning strategy.”