Road to Paris 2024: Australian Swimmer Has ‘Hot Cross Buns’ Secret for a Winning Edge in Olympics Debut

Published 02/19/2024, 11:32 PM HKT

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At the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships, in the center of the aquatic battleground, an Australian swim team’s emerging talent showed flashes of brilliance. Following his success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Samuel Williamson, the swim maestro from Australia, made history at the Hamad Aquatic Center making two records. Although Williamson’s final swim fell short of the podium finish, he secured his place on the Olympic team with an Olympic limit finish. But what really grabbed everyone’s interest was the unusual Paris treat, which he believed could be successful along the road to Paris.

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The four-time world champion shared more insight about the wholesome Easter feast he wishes to celebrate with family.

Road to Paris takes a fun twist

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Williamson maintained his stellar form in the men’s 50-meter breaststroke final, achieving an even quicker time of 26.32 after breaking both the Oceania and Australian records in the semi-finals. In addition to earning Australia its first gold medal in Doha, this was his first world title, making him the fourth fastest man in history. Williamson shared his love of baking and cooking in an interview with Nine as he got ready to head back to Melbourne, saying, “Easter’s just around the corner, so there’ll be a few hot cross buns coming out of the oven when I get home.”

He emphasized the value of carbs in swimming, calling them the “workhorse of swimming.” Despite a balance between wins and losses in Doha, Sam diligently talked about his passion, saying, “I’ve always had a passion for cooking and baking. Some of my earliest memories with mum were in the kitchen baking cakes, or baking scones with nan…I think it’s something I’m going to enjoy for a long time.”

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While he did not win a medal in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, his time of 59.21 was more than enough to guarantee a position within the 59.49 Olympic qualifying standard. The Australian swimmer now has the task of increasing his distance, considering that the Olympic breaststroke events are limited to 100 and 200m since his will to make his Olympic debut in Paris is evident.

Goal for the 2024 Paris Olympics

Underscoring his status as an underdog in Australian swimming, Williamson must contend with fierce opposition from Zac Stubblety-Cook, the defending Olympic Champion, World Champion, Commonwealth Games Champion, and world record-holder in the 200m men’s breaststroke. “It’s just about what I do between now and the trials at the end of June,” he further said, adding, “I’m hoping I can set myself apart from everyone else.”

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The road to Paris is not just about swim titles; it’s a special journey making skilled athletes stand out, and sometimes a passionate pursuit can make all the difference. Will hot cross buns emerge as the secret to success at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris? As Samuel Williamson continues to carve his path in the swimming world, only five months remain until the world discovers the answer.

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Written by:

Divya Purohit

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Divya Purohit is a senior Olympics Sports writer for EssentiallySports. She majorly covers gymnastics, alpine skiing, and horse racing. While bringing the detailed stats of gymnastics to the American readers, she covered two prominent events - the 2023 Xfinity Gymnastics Championships, and the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
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Edited by:

Suman Varandani

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