Conrad Francis - Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Name: Conrad Francis Known as: Given to me by a sports journalist in Sri Lanka, “Black Dolphin”
Lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka Age 40
Occupation. Aquatic Director / Head Swimming Coach
Connect with Conrad: LinkedIn IG
Tell us a little about your current swimming Conrad?
I currently aim for three to six swims, plus four gym sessions, each week at the Singhalese Sports Club in Cinnamon Gardens in the heart of Colombo (Sri Lanka)
The club offers two pool options, a 33.3m and a 25m, both with 6 lanes.
I generally swim alone as many of my friends find my training sets too hard . . . lol!
A favourite set of mine is 9 x 200 on 3mins 30sec.
Freestyle swum at a moderate pace.
Butterfly swum fast.
1st 200: freestyle (FS) 2nd 200: 175 FS 25 butterfly (Fly) 3rd 200: 150 FS 50 Fly
4th 200: 125 FS 75 Fly 5th 200: 100 FS 100 Fly 6th 200: 75 FS 125 Fly
7th 200: 50 FS 150 Fly 8th 200: 25 FS 175 Fly and the 9th: 200m Fly
(editor: Conrad shares two full sessions for you at the end of this feature)
When my training and recovery is to plan, I include the set in both my Tuesday and Saturday sessions.
What I like about the set is it ensures I am constantly focusing on my technique. Each 200 is of constant stroke rating and switching strokes is excellent for my fitness adaptation.
I first included this set into my training over eight years ago. Since then it has been a staple of my program.
Tell us a little about your connection to swimming Conrad.
I love the sport of swimming and how it is a lifelong sport. During my sessions I feel nothing can stop me. When I am in the pool, it’s my time. I feel free. I’m in my own little world.
Through my own swimming and my coaching, I want to be an inspiration to other athletes, irrespective of their age, whether male or female; to be more of a role model to others.
Share your proudest swimming moments to date.
There have been many – a few are:
1. Being the first swimmer from Sri Lanka to swim the 100m butterfly in under 56-seconds which I first achieved at the 2004 FINA World Swimming Championships, Indianapolis USA, and repeated the performance at the Sri Lanka Nationals Long course later in the year.
2. Racing the 100m butterfly at both the Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004) Olympic Games for Sri Lanka.
3. Being the first swimmer to win two gold medals internationally for Sri Lanka – I achieved this at the 2003 Asian Age Group Championships
4. Being appointed the Sri Lankan swimming team captain in 2000, an honor I held for almost 10 years.
5. At the 2019 World Masters Games in Korea, I placed fifth in my age group for the 100m butterfly.
You remain deeply connected to swimming, both as a competitor and more recently an Aquatic Director / Swim Coach – tell us more.
I love being around the water. The smell of the chlorine brings back memories of the good old days of training.
I compete in masters swimming following my retirement from professional swimming in 2012. I had been fully professional for 17 years. Following my ‘retirement’ in 2012 I continued my training schedule as per normal – pool, land and gym. I just stopped competing.
Then in 2019 a friend encouraged me to swim at the first South East Asian Masters Games which were held in Jakarta. I returned to racing, this time as a ‘masters’ swimmer. Since then, I have competed at the World Masters Championships (Gwangju 2019) and the 2019 Malaysian Masters. I began to feel how I felt during my 17 years of racing. Everything started to come back. The excitement. The nervousness. The race preparation. It felt so good, the fire of racing on the big stage was still in me
Recently I have been fully immersed in the swim program at the Jakarta Intercultural School which has included overseeing the three swimming pools, the PE swimming curriculum for elementary and high school students, scheduling of staff (pool lifeguards and coaches), the swim programs and the year-round club swimming program.
In addition, I have been the Head Swim Coach for the varsity season and year-round club Head Coach, and the dry land training coach for the varsity team.
Conrad, what are the 2 or 3 top technique tips you emphasise to the swimmers you coach?
1. Streamline – this is so important for all levels of swimmer, initially taught when learning to swim
2. Stroke Rate – the best swimmers are always working on their stroke efficiency
3. Starts, Turns & Finish – the three skills all competitive swimmers always work on to improve.
I strongly believe these elements are key to good swimming.
Do you have a current goal for your swimming Conrad?
My goal is to challenge my life-time best times for both the 50m and 100m butterfly.
This means swimming under 24seconds for my 50m and under 54seconds for the 100m. My 50m is currently in the low-26seconds and 100m in the mid-55seconds.
Reaching these ambitious goals will depend on how much training I can include while juggling my day-to-day work schedule, personal commitments and family time.
Of all the different places you have swum, where are the standouts?
· The World Championships (2003) in Barcelona, Spain.
· The 2000 Olympic Sydney Aquatic Centre.
· The 2004 Athens Olympic pool
· And my former swimming club – the Nunawading Swimming Club in Melbourne, Australia.
All these complexes hold special memories for me.
Photo’s above: Top - 2019 South East Asian Masters (Jakarta, Indonesia) Below - 2019 World Masters Championships, Gwangju - top 6 placegetters in 100m butterfly
If a visitor came to the City of Colombo, where would you recommend they swim?
Many pools in Colombo are part of clubs which require people to be a member in order to use the facility. I would recommend my club - Singhalese Sports Club.
The other options are the Otters Aquatic Club and the Colombo Swimming Club
Swimming outdoors, 6am to 9am, is the best time of the day for training in Colombo. The temperature of the water is perfect, and sun is not too warm.
How has swimming shaped you?
Swimming has defined who I am today. It has taught me hard work is part of improving and the rewards come to those who have worked hard, made some sacrifice, and stayed determined and focused.
It has taken me around the world, and I have been privileged to meet amazing people who I am still friends with today.
In addition to the Olympic cities of Sydney and Athens, swimming has taken me to Toronto, Barcelona, Moscow, Pakistan, Hong Kong, China, Bangladesh, Dhaka, South Korea, USA, Japan, Taiwan …….
Swimming has also given me the opportunity to help many underprivilege kids; teaching basic water safety awareness, leading learn to swim programs and coaching young swimmers gives me nothing but great joy.
And I have the privilege of being a mentor in my community to many age-group swimmers, national team swimmers, as well as athletes from other sports.
Conrad, share a fun fact about yourself?
I am passionate about wellness & fitness. In my spare time I love playing golf, hitting the gym, and going for runs.
There are occasions when I don’t get jokes …... no idea why!
2 of Conrad’s recent swim sessions for your interest.
6850m session:
Warm-up: 1x500 Stretch it out.
Pre-Set: 20x50's alternating fly and free on :60 Concentrate on turns.
Kick Set: 10x25's underwater dolphin kick with fins on :30 No breathes!
Main Set: 8x200's I.M. on 3:30
1. 25 fly, 50 back and breast, 75 free.
2. 50 fly, back, breast, free.
3. 75 fly, 50 back, 25 breast, 50 free.
4. 100 fly, 25 back and breast, 50 free.
5. 125 fly, 25 back, breast, free.
6. 150 fly, 25 back and free (no breast).
7. 175 fly, 25 free (no back or breast).
8. 200 fly (no back, breast, or free).
Other: 10x100's drill/kick/drill/swim on 1:30 Alternating fly and free.
Pull Set: 20x50's fly on :60 Work on distance per stroke.
Drill Set: 5x100 drill fly on 2:00 Variation of my favourite drills.
Warm-Down: 1x1000 warm-down Relaxed and smooth.
5000m session:
Warm-up: 700 (200 swim - 100 drill)
4 x 150 on 2:30 (building up speed as a 25 – a 50 – a 75)
Main Set: 2700m
200 free on 4:00
2 x 200 IM on 3:00
4 x 100 IM on 1:30
200 free on 4:00
2 x 200 IM on 2:55
3 x 100 IM on 1:25
200 free on 4:00
2 x 200 IM on 2:50
2 x 100 IM on 1:20
Kick Set: 4 x 75 on 1:30
2 x 150 on 2:30
Warm-Down: 2 x (4 x 50) on :55 odds: drill/swim evens: swim/kick