The Federation caught up with swimmer James Scully from Paralympics Ireland at the National Acquatic Centre recently. James talked about his fear of spiders, dinner with Jennifer Laurence and his dog Rocko!
Q1. What is your routine when you are training?
This year we’ve stepped it up again, were back in the NAC, it’s all evenings now. We train 7 times in the pool –once a day and then twice on Saturday and you’ll have about 3 gym sessions a week so you’re talking the guts of 20 hours training. In the weeks leading up to competitions that will increase – so this week we’ve had 9 sessions and an extra gym session – you’re getting about 40k done in the pool plus the gym plus physio, pilates. You build up to it, it’s what you have to do to get the results really.
Q2. What are your three most prized possessions?
Probably my first one is the medal from Montreal last year – Bronze medal in the World Championship. It’s my first and only for the moment international medal. It’s kinda a source of inspiration for me personally. Probably my car as well, love the car. Third prized possession, em probably the dog, the pet dog. He’s a valuable member of the family – he’s a good source of entertainment.
Q3. If you could invite 3 people to dinner – who would they be and why?
Let me think, first one would probably be Jennifer Laurence, obvious reasons (smile), she seems like good crack and stuff, obviously good looking. Second one, em let me think… Can you invite a team? The whole Dublin team, I’d bring the whole Dublin team to dinner, I’m a massive Dublin fan. And third one – Ian Thorpe, I find him a very interesting character I’d love to get to know him better, learn from his experiences
James said he’d have the entire Dublin team over for dinner!
Q4. What do you enjoy outside of sport?
Just literally the general things like anyone else, hanging out with the lads – obviously being a high performance athlete that has to be kinda not so much curtailed but managed better like you can’t be out drinking you can’t be out partying you have to keep things really focused but I still enjoy life with the lads going to the cinema driving around having the laughs
Q5. What’s your favourite film?
Favourite film hmmm…. Eh probably Saving Private Ryan to be honest – I’m big into the war films, I studied history in college so really enjoy that aspect.
Q6. What’s your favourite music?
To be honest I’m kinda into everything – the funny story with me is I’ve gone through every single phase. I’ve gone from rap phase, I was a rocker for awhile – I grew my hair long, listen to trans, I’ll listen to Il Divo at times (smile and a laugh). Really anything goes for me!
Q7. Any phobias?
Spiders! Arachnophobia big time. I dunno where it came from. One time I was asleep and I woke up and there was a huge spider down in the bed and normally I wouldn’t take any notice of this but this guy ran towards me so I just freaked and ever since I’ve had this weird thing of spiders. Not small spiders but the big guys with the big legs. Australia would be a no go for me!!
Q8. Any superstitions?
I’m not hugely superstitious but I suppose I’d kinda be give or take. I’d believe in fate not so much religious, but kinda chance and luck. I’d be a big believer in karma, I always believe when you do good something good is gonna happen to you, vice versa.
Q9. Do you have a sporting hero?
Ian Thorpe. I really admire him as an athlete, as a person as well even from what he said he’s been through. He suffered from huge depression, alcoholism problems like that. I really admire an athlete who especially a swimmer, all swimmers will know it’s a very lonely sport and everyone goes through a dark patch now and again. But to know that other really successful athletes have gone through, have emerged on top and really performed, he’s an inspiration to me and a massive role model
Q10. Where would you like to go on holidays – but you can’t have been there before?
Em let me think, I’d love to go to South America, I’ve heard it’s fairly mad down there, I’m kinda the person that would like to travel around. Swimming you get to travel around but you’re kinda stuck to the swimming pool or the hotel so you don’t really see much. Just a journey around and see what it’s like.
James chose South America as a destination he’d like to visit!
Q11. Any pets – you said you had your dog earlier?
Yeah we’ve the dog! My family we’ve had everything from rabbits to gerbils, hamsters to cats! (What’s the dog’s name?) Rocko, a small Jack Russell. He’s a character alright
Quickfire Round:
Twitter or Facebook
Twitter… oh no Facebook sorry, no I don’t like twitter
Movie or TV
Eh movies……
Chinese or Indian
Indian!
Early Night In or Late Night Out
I suppose I have to say early night in (laugh) but on my downtime I enjoy a night out with the lads. Bit of both – depending on whether I’m swimming or I’m on my downtime.
