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Neil Brooks

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Neil Brooks
Personal information
Full nameNeil Brooks
NicknameBrooksie
Nationality Australia
Height200 cm (6 ft 7 in)
Weight95 kg (209 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
College teamUniversity of Arkansas
Medal record
Olympic medal record
Men's swimming
Gold medal – first place 1980 Moscow 4 × 100 m medley relay
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Los Angeles 4 × 100 m medley realy
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1982 Brisbane 100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1982 Brisbane 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
Gold medal – first place 1982 Brisbane 4 × 100 m medley relay
Gold medal – first place 1986 Edinburgh 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
Silver medal – second place 1986 Edinburgh 100 m freestyle

Neil Brooks (born July 27, 1962) is a former Australian sprint freestyle swimmer best known for winning the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow as part of the Quietly Confident Quartet. Brooks was as much known for his swimming as he was for disciplinary issues. He often found himself in conflict with swimming officials and threatened with suspensions. His international career ended after his being suspended for drinking 46 cans of beer on a return flight to Australia after the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

Born in Crewe, England, Brooks immigrated to Australia as a toddler and started swimming lessons after nearly drowning in a childhood accident. He quickly rose through the youth ranks after initially being noted for his unstylish swimming style. Brooks made his debut at the Australian Championships in 1976 aged just 13, but it was not until 1979 that he began winning medals at national level and made his international debut for Australia at a FINA World Cup meet. In 1980, he gained prominence by breaking the Australian 100 m freestyle record and being invited to a national team camp. There he had his first clash with officialdom, walking out of the camp after accusing the officials of neglecting him. He then qualified for the Australian team for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, defying political pressure to boycott the Games in the wake of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Brooks' experience in the individual 100 m freestyle at the Olympics was an unpleasant one, suffering an asthma attack and failing to qualify for the final. The peak of his swimming career came in the 4 × 100 m medley relay, where he caught and overtook the Soviet Union's Sergei Kopliakov in the anchor leg to seal a narrow victory for Australia, the only time that the United States did not win the event at Olympic level.

Following the Olympics, Brooks was expelled from the Australian Institute of Sport by Don Talbot due to disciplinary issues and he accepted a scholarship to swim for the University of Arkansas, where he enjoyed the more liberal disciplinary standards. He returned to Australia for the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and during a preparatory training camp, he again raised the ire of officials. After lobbying for improved accommodation conditions, Brooks was involved in a physical altercation with a team official, and was given a suspension that was to take effect after the competition ended. However, a protest from his teammates resulted in the ban being scrapped. After the turbulence out of the pool, Brooks had a successful meet, winning the 100 m freestyle and anchoring the 4 × 100 m freestyle and medley relays to gold medals. Brooks competed at his second Olympics at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where he won a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay and bronze for swimming the heats of the medley relay. Brooks' international career ended at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, where he won silver in the 100 m freestyle and was a member of freestyle relay team that won gold. Brooks retired after being suspended for his antics during the return trip. He later became a swimming commentator on television but was sacked in 1998 after a disciplinary incident.

Early years

Brooks was an only child, born in Crewe, England, migrating to Australia when he was four, along with his working-class parents Mick and Norah.[1] His first aquatic adventure was almost his last. Aged seven, he was playing with a friend on the shore of the Swan River, when they climbed into a boat which drifted deeper into water and overturned. Brooks was forced to cling to the boat as his friend swam ashore to seek help. His parents immediately enrolled him in swimming lessons with Fred de Lacy at the Marylands Swim Club. Shortly after, he switched to the tutelage of Kevin Duff, who was to remain his coach for the next fifteen years. Brooks came third at the State Age Championships in the 50 m breaststroke just six weeks later. Duff had also coached Olympic medallists Kevin O'Halloran, Lyn McClements, David Dickson and Lynne Watson. Although Duff had nurtured many Olympic medallists from Western Australia, he remained virtually unknown at a national level. Brooks, known for his rebellious nature, had a glowing assessment of his coach, opining that "He's not pushy like many other Australian coaches and he's not in the politics of Australian swimming."[1]

Brooks attended Hale Primary School and trained before and after school at Beatty Park Pool, and he routinely dominated State age group championships. In 1974 at the National Age championships, Brooks came third in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke, and second in the 200 m freestyle. Brooks was known during his primary school years as "Basher Brooks" due to his lack of style, but by the end of primary school, his stroke had become more technically correct. Nevertheless, he was always confident in his mental ability, stating "before I just swam on guts, now I had the stroke as well as the guts. I was always the toughest kid in the race."[1]

At the age of 13, Brooks suffered a loss of confidence when he found that despite being champion in all four strokes for the previous four years, he was frequently being beaten. The other kids had grown more at the start of their adolescence and he was struggling to keep up. Within a year, Brooks' physical growth began to catch up to that of his peers and he started to regain the dominant position. He also switched from distance to sprint events.[1]

National debut

In 1976, Brooks competed in his first open Australian Championships, still yet to reach his 14th birthday, but did not gain any podium finishes and as such was not selected in the team for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. In the same year, the Australian team came to Perth for its pre-Olympic training camp and were billeted in the private homes of the city's swimming community. Brooks' family took his future relay team-mate Mark Tonelli, who had a reputation for being wild. Brooks however, found Tonelli to be an inspiration and cited him as being a motivating factor in wanting to become an Olympian.[1]

During the 1976–77 season, Brooks came to prominence as a possible Australian representative as a sprinter. At the 1977 Western Australian State Championships, he broke six records in winning two events. He swam the 100 m freestyle in 56.56 s, breaking the state records for 14, 15, and 16 year-olds, before repeating the achievement in the 200 m backstroke. Still aged 14, he competed at his second Australian Championships and came fourth in the 100 m freestyle. In 1978, he came third and missed selection for the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada by 0.03 s. He spent the rest of the year training and studying accounting at Leederville Technical College. Brooks held the Australian age group record in the 200 m individual medley, the 200 m backstroke and the 100 m freestyle. In the inaugural Australian Short Course Championships in Launceston in 1979, Brooks won a silver medal in the 200 m individual medley and a bronze in the 100 m freestyle. His performances earned him selection in the Australian team for the first time, competing in the FINA World Cup event in Tokyo in April 1979, aged 16 years and nine months.[1]

Aged 17, Brooks swam 51.91 s in Perth in January 1980, breaking the Australian record in the 100 m freestyle held by Tonelli. As a result, he was invited to his first national training camp under Bill Sweetenham for prospective Olympic swimmers. and had the first of his many clashes with sporting administrators, first claiming that the officials did not want him to board with Tonelli and then stating that Sweetenham had only coached him two or three times, which he felt was insufficient for the Australian Championships. Brooks walked out of the camp to returned to Perth to train under Duff. At the Australian Championships, the 100 m was seen as a clash between Tonelli and Brooks. He came second in the 100 m freestyle, failing to outsprint Tonelli in the dying stages. As a result, Brooks and was selected in both the individual event and the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[2]

However, another obstacle arose with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which resulted in a boycott of the Games by a large part of the Western World, led by the United States. The Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser was also the patron of the Australian Olympic Committee, and significant political pressure came to bear on the athletes to boycott the Games. Tonelli however, realised that only the sportspeople would suffer from a boycott and that trade relations would continue unabated. Tonelli took a leadership role among the athletes to fight for their right to compete.[3][4][5]

Moscow Olympics

See also: Swimming at the 1980 Summer Olympics

In the individual event, Brooks had come equal first in his heat in a time of 52.11 s, but he suffered a severe asthma attack and had to be hospitalised. He swam the semi-final regardless, despite having a heart-rate before the start of race of 120, compared to his usual 72. He managed to finish seventh in a time of 52.70 s, which was not enough to see him progress to the final.[2][6]

Relay victory

Main article: Quietly Confident Quartet

The 4 × 100 m medley relay was the focal point of Brooks' Moscow campaign and it came only two days before his 18th birthday. The event had always been won by the United States since its inception at the Olympics at the 1960 Games, and their boycott had opened up the field in the event. In the five times the event had been contested, Australia's best result had come in the inaugural race, where it out-touched Japan to claim silver. The only other time that it won a medal was in 1964, with a bronze. The previous outing in 1976 had seen Australia eliminated in the heats. Australia was regarded as a chance of a medal, but were not seen as the main threats, with Sweden, Great Britain and the Soviet Union being the most heavily fancied teams. The Soviet Union boasted the silver medallists in the 100 m backstroke and breaststroke, and their butterflyer and freestyler had come fifth and fourth respectively. The British boasted Duncan Goodhew, the breaststroke gold medallist, while Sweden's butterflyer and backstroker had won their respective events and their freestyle swimmer had come second in the 100 m.[7] Australia's team paled in comparison on paper. Peter Evans was the only individual medallist in the distance,[4] claiming bronze in the 100 m breaststroke. Kerry had been eliminated in the backstroke semifinals, while Tonelli was swimming as a makeshift butterflyer,[8] despite having performed better than Kerry in the 100 m backstroke.[9][5] Adding to the pressure was the fact that Australia won no gold medals at the 1976 Olympics in any sport, so the public were still awaiting their first gold since the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.[10]

Australia's prospects improved after the morning heats when Sweden was disqualified. Tonelli, the eldest swimmer in the quartet at the age of 23, convened the team as its de facto leader. He asked his team-mates to commit to swimming their legs in a certain time; Kerry vowed to swim the backstroked in 57 s, Evans the breaststroke in 63 s flat, Tonelli the butterfly in 54 s and Brooks promised to anchor the team in 49.8 s, even though he had never gone faster than 51 s in his career. Tonelli named the foursome as the Quietly Confident Quartet, and they exhibited a quiet confidence as they lined up for the race.[8][5]

Kerry led off in a faster time than he had clocked in the individual event, but it was still two seconds slower than his personal best time of 57.87 s, leaving Australia in fourth place at the end of the first leg. Evans then swam a personal best of 63.01 s, leaving Australia almost level with the host nation at the halfway mark. Tonelli then swam his leg in 54.94 s, almost two seconds faster than he had done over the distance,[8]. He did so with an uneven arm technique due to the uneven strength in his arms.[11] He began to lose ground in the last 50 m and was a bodylength behind until a late surge brought him to within a metre by the end of his leg. Brooks then made a powerful, well-timed dive and surfaced almost even with his Soviet counterpart. At the turn, he had drawn level and made a superior turn to take the lead. The Soviet freestyler Kopliakov pulled level at the 25 m mark before Brooks sprinted away again to seal an Australian victory by 0.22 s.[8] He did not breathe in the last ten metres, and claimed to be laughing for the final five metres, confident that his opponent could not pass him.[2]Brooks had finished his leg in 49.86 s as he had vowed to his team mates.[6] The time of 3 m 45.70 s sealed Australia's first ever win in a medley relay at the Olympics, for men or women.[8][12][5]

Brooks dedicated his win to his mother, who had died from cancer the previous Christmas, but he later felt that his gold had diminished his future hunger for further success.[2] Upon returning to Australia, Brooks was greeted as a hero, but he considered retiring as he found it difficult to raise his motivation after his success.[2]

US college career

Brooks suffered from a lack of motivation after the Olympics, and was expelled from the Australian Institute of Sport by Don Talbot for ill discipline. He then won the 1981 Australian title in the 100 m freestyle in a time of 52.61 s without training, and then accepted a scholarship to go to the University of Arkansas to train under Sam Freas. Brooks enjoyed the culture in the American collegiate system, particularly the relationship between swimmers and their coaches. He enjoyed the more equal relationship accorded to swimmers by their coaches, noting that "In Australia, after a race they want to lock you in your room. In America, you can share a beer after the meet with the coach."[2] The shortcourse pools used in the United States played into the hands of Brooks, as his strong legs were an advantage in pushing away from the turns during turns, which came twice as often compared to longcourse pools. Brooks had initially planned only to stay in the United States for a year, but decided to extend his stay by a year, having enjoyed the high frequency of racing and the recognition accorded to university athletes in the United States. In the two years, he was twice champion in both the 50 m and 100 m freestyle, and was fourth in the 100 m freestyle at the 1981 NCAA Championships in Milwaukee. He also came second to Rowdy Gaines in the 100 m freestyle at the AACC Championships.[2]

Despite his successes in America, the Australian Swimming Union did not offer to pay for Brooks to return to Australia for the 1982 National Championships, but the University of Arkansas offered to pay for his return to Australia in recognition of his service in collegiate competition. Brooks successfully qualified for the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. The team then went into a five-week training camp in Sydney, in the seaside suburb of South Coogee. The team accommodation was a migrant hostel, which at the time was primarily occupied by Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam War. In the meantime, the British team were training on the French Riviera and the Canadians in Hawaii. Brooks spoke out against the accommodation, causing the officials to make improvements.[2]

Brief suspension for disciplinary reasons and 1982 Commonwealth Games

The campaigning that Brooks did against the accommodation was overshadowed by a much publicised physical confrontation with a team official. Brooks telephoned his coaching officials in the United States to make return travel arrangements for the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games. Due to the time zone difference, he had to make his call after the team curfew, leading to a team manager Jeff Hare attempting to disconnect the call. After being threatened with expulsion from the team during the verbal dispute, Brooks lost his temper and pinned Hare against the wall. Brooks was summoned to a meeting with ASU officials the following day, remaining unrepentant. He received as one month ban, effective after the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games.[2] Brooks demanded that if the ASU were to suspend him at all, they should suspend him immediately for the Commonwealth Games. Brooks' complaints about the training conditions at South Coogee had gained the attention of his team-mates, and several senior swimmers threatened to leave if Brooks was banned. In the end, the ASU dropped their suspension of Brooks.[13] Brooks has remained strongly critical of the attitude of swimming bureaucracy, claiming that "too many officials expect unquestioning obedience", [13] calling for the formation of a swimmers' committee.[13]

Arriving in Brisbane for the Commonwealth Games, Brooks and some of his fellow sprinters shaved their heads, something that received wide coverage among the Australian public. Brooks won his heat of the 100 m freestyle in a Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games record of 51.09 s. He was unable to swim as fast in the final, but his time of 51.14 s was enough to secure the gold medal in a close contest. Just 0.43 s separated him and the bronze and silver medallists Greg Fasala and Michael Delany, both of Australia.[13]

Brooks then won gold as part of the winning 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, anchoring the team of Fasala, Delany and Graeme Brewer to a victory by almost three seconds in an anchor leg of 50.56 s. The shaven-headed quartet was dubbed the Mean Machine. He collected another gold in the medley relay, combining with David Orbell, Evans and Jon Sieben, this time completing his freestyle anchor leg in 50.44 s. After the Games, Brooks returned to complete the American college season before returning to Australia. He was named as Western Australia's Sportsman of the Year.[13]

Second Olympics

Brooks came into the 1984 Australian Championships as the favourite, but this time he was on the receiving end of a close result. Brooks placed third in the 100 m freestyle behind Mark Stockwell and Delany, missing individual selection by 0.05 s. He was selected as a relay swimmer only, and went to Los Angeles hoping to win the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. The Australian team of Brooks, Fasala, Delany and Stockwell showed their intent of beating the Americans for the first time in the Olympic history of the event, setting a new Olympic record of 3 m 19.4 s in the heat. Brooks led off in the heat, setting a time of 50.3 s. However, in the final, Australian coach Terry Buck switched the swimming order, putting Fasala into the first leg. Fasala's time of 51.1 s put the Australians in the wash of the Americans, and despite making up ground in the final three legs, the Americans won in a new world record time of 3 m 19.03 s. Australia were 0.65 s behind, slower than their time in the heats.[6] Brooks remained adamant that either he or Stockwell should have led off, stating that "the gold was there for the taking".[13][14]

He also collected a bronze in the medley relay after swimming the freestyle leg in the heats before being replaced by first choice Stockwell in the final.[13] Stockwell combined with Kerry, Evans and Glenn Buchanan to finish behind the United States and Canada in the final.[15][14]

In 1985, Brooks dead heated with Stockwell in the 100 m freestyle at the Australian Championships, finishing in 51.12 s. He then combined with Tom Stachewicz, Paul Lee and Barry Armstrong as Western Australia won the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay for the first time ever.[16] Brooks maintained his form and was selected at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, where he came second in the 100 m freestyle to Fasala in a time of 51.12 s and claimed gold in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay along with Fasala, Stockwell and Matthew Renshaw.[17][6] On the return flight, he consumed 46 cans of beer and was subsequently banned for six months after he talked about the incident during a television interview.[16]

After swimming

He retired thereafter, moving to Nambour, Queensland and started a rock band called The Union. Brooks played the electric guitar, and also wrote his own music and songs. He also played for Western Australia in water polo and indoor cricket and played Australian Rules Football at district level.[16] He stood 200cm and weighed 95kg.[16]

He later became a swimming commentator for the Seven Network during the 1990s, but was sacked in 1998 after an indiscretion, denying him the opportunity to call the 2000 Summer Olympics on home soil in Sydney.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Howell, p. 244.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Howell, p. 245.
  3. ^ Howell, p. 239.
  4. ^ a b Andrews, p. 148.
  5. ^ a b c d Gordon, p. 334.
  6. ^ a b c d Andrews, p. 63.
  7. ^ Howell, p. 233.
  8. ^ a b c d e Howell, p. 234.
  9. ^ Howell, p. 237.
  10. ^ Gordon, p. 333.
  11. ^ Howell, p. 242.
  12. ^ Andrews, pp. 440–441.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Howell, p. 246.
  14. ^ a b Gordon, p. 356.
  15. ^ Howell, p. 243.
  16. ^ a b c d Howell, p. 247.
  17. ^ Andrews, pp. 287–288.

References

  • Andrews, Malcolm (2000). Australia at the Olympic Games. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ISBN 0-7333-0884-8.
  • Gordon, Harry (1994). Australia and the Olympic Games. University of Queensland. ISBN 0-7022-2627-0.
  • Howell, Max (1986). Aussie Gold. Brooks Waterloo. ISBN 0-86440-680-0.
  • Talbot, Don (2003). Talbot: Nothing But the Best. Lothian. ISBN 0-7344-0512-X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

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