Making Waves: Olympian Emma Chelius on Sprint Swimming & Personalised Science

In this episode of The Genetic Coach, host Di White sits down with Olympian Emma Chelius. Emma reflects on her incredible journey as a competitive swimmer, from her early days in KwaZulu-Natal all the way to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In this compelling episode, listeners gain insight into the role of genetics, mental resilience, and recovery strategies in elite sport. Emma also takes the opportunity to open up about her training evolution, challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how she balanced talent with hard work to reach her peak. Discover how genetic insights could revolutionize personalized athletic performance.

Key Talking Points:

Olympic Experience
Emma shares the highs and lows of competing at the Olympics, and how the experience shaped her both personally and professionally.

Sprint Training Demands
A look into the unique intensity and precision required for sprint swimming, from training structure to mindset.

Recovery & Marginal Gains
Discussion on how elite swimmers optimise recovery through sleep, nutrition, and tracking the smallest performance gains.

DNA & Personalised Performance
How Emma uses data-driven testing to personalize training and the potential she sees in leveraging genetic insights for recovery and performance.

Mental Resilience
Techniques Emma uses to stay focused and composed under competitive pressure, including mindfulness and visualisation.

Support Network
The role of coaches, medical teams, and family in sustaining elite performance and wellbeing.

Beyond the Pool
Emma opens up about finding balance, identity, and purpose beyond the world of high-performance sport.