Recreate this content while optimizing it for SEO, enhancing its creativity and uniqueness, improving syntax and tone, increasing perplexity and burstiness, and retaining the HTML tags
The presenter on swimming, supporting Liverpool, and inclusive children’s books
What were you like growing up?
I was sports mad. I loved watching sports on the TV and playing sports. Swimming was my main thing. I have two older sisters and I followed in their footsteps. I swam for CRC Clontarf swimming club for all of my childhood. I was also a big reader.
You’d start training at 5.30am?
That was the routine and I absolutely loved it. It forced me to be disciplined. You’d come home, get your homework done and eat and go to bed at 8.30pm. Doing competitive swimming kept me out of trouble. I never considered it to be a hardship. You’d arrive into school in the morning with half a day done. My mam brought me training. I have small kids of my own now and I don’t know how she did it. I have great admiration for her.
Why do you love swimming?
There’s nothing like jumping into the sea at the end of a stressful day. I get edgy if I don’t do some exercise for a few days. I need to swim and I’m definitely much happier on the days I get to have a swim than on the days when I don’t. I gave it up when I did my Leaving Cert and was in college but I got back into it afterwards. I joined the Half Moon Club and I played water polo. I particularly love sea swimming.
Describe yourself in three words.
Easy-going, diligent and kind.
Best advice given?
Be yourself. My mam always instilled in us not to worry about what other people thought of us and not to follow the herd. And I’d give the same advice.
Johnny Sexton, and left, Tadhg Furlong. Photo: Sportsfile
Tell us about the inspiration for your Irish sporting legends books for children.
I came across a series of books called The Ultimate Football Heroes about stars like Ronaldo and Messi. I thought that it’d be nice to have these books but for our own Irish sports stars. We thought who better to start with than Johnny Sexton. And thankfully Johnny agreed for my first book, Go, Johnny Go! The books are for all kids – but they’re specifically written to appeal to reluctant readers. We work with the Dyslexia Association to make sure they’re as accessible as possible. There are some fonts that are easier for people with dyslexia to read and the books are laid out in a special way.
Your new book, Josh the Flyer, is about… Josh van der Flier. What made you profile him?
We wanted to do another player for the Rugby World Cup, he is World Player of the Year – and his story is fantastic. Josh was never one who was marked out for superstardom when he was a kid. He was a good rugby player but he was considered a little bit small.
I know it sounds funny because but he’s 6’2” now and a top-level professional rugby player. But he didn’t think he’d ever be big enough. He played scrum-half for a long time, which is probably one of the smallest players on the pitch. That was a struggle but he just kept working. And he’s one of the nicest people I have ever met.
Who do you admire and why?
I admire sports people because they are prepared to make the sacrifice for nothing more than their love of the game. In most instances, they’re not driven by financial reward or personal gain.
Has fatherhood changed you?
I think I’m more sympathetic. I’m a bit older now and I think of athletes as being like my own kids. If they haven’t done well, you tread a bit softer than you might have done before.
Your wife is a political reporter and you cover sports. What’s it like at home?
I’m probably more into politics than Mary is into sport. I’m a Liverpool fan and the fact that goes on and on and on – two Liverpool matches every single week – is something she’ll never get her head around. But now that we have a boy, she might follow his lead.
‘Josh the Flyer – Josh van der Flier’ by Paul O’Flynn is published by Gill on October 26
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
