Encore: why Laurie Lawrence dropped his obsession with winning Gold
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Back in the 1980s and 1990s, watching Australian swimmers compete also meant watching Laurie Lawrence. Laurie was always there, not in the pool, but pacing up and down at the edge or shouting wildly from the stands. At the end of a race, when the camera came to him, he'd often be so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't even form words. It was like Laurie had more energy and adrenaline than the kids in the pool, and that emotion would transmit through the TV screens to infect the Laurie spent his childhood living above the Tobruk Memorial Baths in Townsville. That's where his love affair with swimming began, one that has continued his whole life. But over the years he's changed the way that he thinks about winning and what it is that makes a champion.
I spoke to Laurie Lawrence about his story in twenty nineteen. Hi Lorrie.
Let's go, Sarah! Let's go. I've been waiting for this.
Should say we're both here in our our speedos in our swim cats, aren't we? I love
your swim cap with the rose on the top.
How did Laurie Lawrence’s childhood lung illness lead him to swimming?
So as I say you you grew up in Townsfall, how did you struggle to breathe as a kid? What was going on for your health wise?
I know, I had a disease called bronchiectasis, which affects the lungs and on top of that I was asthmatic. So I was always Having big trouble breathing. The doctor I finished up doctor Hirschfield, a specialist here in Brisbane, brought me down and removed the bottom half of the left lobe.
Actually removed it.
Yeah, took that left lung out. And uh My dad then was told I should sw should swim. So he'd been oh dad Dad was a a publican, a shearers cook, uh chook farmer. He he did all sorts of things, taxi driver. And he finished up then getting the job as manager of the Trubook Pool. Which meant we lived at the pool? There was a little flat above the pool. I still remember it very, very vividly. You'd go up the stairs, turn left, you're in the kitchen.
And what what else how about how many rooms in that little flat? Uh
there were two rooms. So mum and dad had a room. My sisters and I had a room. And there was a balcony outside that looked out over the top of the pool where the toilet was out there too. So it's quite small, very condensed, but Doesn't worry kids. Kids love that sort of stuff.
And in terms of your health, Lori, like what do you remember about that operation? That's a big thing for for a kid to go through.
Um I remember there's a couple of things I remember. One I had a tube in my back to drain the blood. And I had to cough every h every hour or so. And that was the most excruciating thing ever. I had to cough and to get the bl any blood that was drained the blood. I remember that. And I remember a a huge needle being pressed. into my sternum, into the chest, to drain fluid out too. They're the most They're things that I remember most. The other thing I remember even when I was in hospital I used to remember getting myself up onto the The door, the top of the door, holding on, and trying to do some Some chin ups. What? Just yeah, I wanted to get strong 'cause I was pretty hairy and weak really as a kid.
I wonder what the doctor's made of that.
Well I don't know. I think it must have been before the operation and not after it's there.
And did that help then? Did your breathing feel better after Well
once I got to the pool and started to swim every day? I just I just grew and grew and breathing got better and better. And to be honest. I don't know what it's like to have two lungs, so I've always operated on one. And I just think physiology like that I don't know, this could be bull crap. Bull dust. Yeah, bull that's right.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:48
2
How did Laurie Lawrence’s childhood lung illness lead him to swimming?
1:48–5:19
3
How did the 1956 Australian Olympic team inspire Laurie Lawrence?
5:19–12:20
4
How did Laurie Lawrence’s family upheaval shape his teenage years?
12:20–19:33
5
How did Laurie Lawrence move from rugby to becoming a swimming coach?
19:33–25:23
6
Why did Laurie Lawrence throw away swimmer Helen Gray’s silver medal?
25:23–32:11
7
Why did Laurie Lawrence stop believing that winning gold is everything?
32:11–39:01
8
How did Laurie Lawrence prepare swimmers for Olympic success?
39:01–52:01
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from Conversations
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