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Elijah Winnington's months of personal growth as he struggled to come out of a “depressive episode” and overcome his countless demons were overwhelming.
Memories of his failures at the Tokyo Olympics remained in his mind, and he began to seriously consider giving up his dreams of winning the gold medal.
But after returning from Paris with a silver and bronze medal, the 24-year-old feels energised again.
Elijah Winnington proudly displays his silver medal.credit: dad
“I am more excited than ever to continue pursuing this elusive gold,” Winnington says in the article.
“Looking back on my entire career, the silver medal is one of the proudest moments and accomplishments of my career. After Tokyo and the mental battles I had over the last three years… not many people can come back like that.
“I will always be proud of this medal, no matter what color it is, because of how much growth it has shown in me over the past three years.”
“I felt like a failure.”
Winnington's return to life would not have been possible without serious self-reflection.
Having arrived in Tokyo three years ago as the leading contender in the 400m freestyle and qualified with the fastest time, the stage was set to write his name into Australian sporting history.
Elijah Wennington had to overcome a “depressive episode” to compete for Olympic glory in Paris.credit: Getty Images
Ultimately, he finished seventh, and his years of pursuit of a single victory ended in a “devastating” disaster.
By his own admission, when he returned to Queensland, he could not imagine ever getting back into the pool.
“I had a bout of depression that lasted for several months,” he says.
“I really couldn’t stand seeing myself or anyone around me. I felt like a failure. It was so heavy on me and I didn’t want to do this sport again.
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“I didn't fall in love with swimming again until I got back into the sport for fitness.
“At that point I started seeing my mental coach, Glenn Fisher, and he really helped me put things in perspective.”
Less than a year later, Winnington won gold at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. He was back — or so he thought.
“After I became world champion, I felt good about myself. I thought I was just back, but that wasn’t the case,” he says.
“Swimming is a roller coaster – or rather life is a roller coaster, more like that – and I really had to keep myself in check and talk to my mental coach about what drives high performance, what makes me swim really well.
“We've discovered that the secret is to enjoy the moment. Results are never guaranteed, so you have to make sure it's all worth it by the day you reach your goal.”
Renaissance in Paris
Results became Winnington's secondary concern when he landed in France. He had a very different motive.
Silver medalist Elijah Winnington (left) with gold medalist Lucas Martens of Germany and bronze medalist Kim Woo-min of South Korea after the men's 400m freestyle final in Paris.credit: dad
“I told my coach two weeks ago, [Games] “The only thing I want from these Olympics is some memories to tell my children with a smile on my face,” he says.
“My only Olympic experience was the Tokyo Olympics, and I can't even look back on those times and remember a single happy memory.
“When I came in, I had the right mindset about what I wanted, and nothing was about performance or medals.
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“Don't get me wrong, obviously those goals were on my mind, but it was just about enjoying the moment.”
This approach has paid off in rewards beyond the silver medal he won in the 400m, where he finished 0.43 seconds behind Germany's Lucas Martens.
This allowed him to focus on his eighth-place finish in the 800m freestyle final and instead play a crucial role in Australia's bronze medal in the 4x200m relay an hour later.
“I had to keep working on the project, and I still do. I still have memories of Tokyo when I was in Paris,” he says.
No relief in sight
Days after returning from Paris, Winnington was back at St Peters West Pool in Brisbane, preparing for the World Short Course Swimming Championships in December.
But his ambitions go beyond what awaits him in Budapest as he seeks greater success at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and perhaps a finale at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Elijah Winnington has his sights set on winning gold in Los Angeles and a bid to host the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.credit: Getty Images
Longevity doesn't seem to be a concern for him, as he works alongside close friend and 50m freestyle gold medallist Cameron McEvey to improve his training.
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McEvie's 'less is more' approach not only led to his triumph in Paris at the age of 30, it has him dreaming of continuing all the way to Brisbane 2032.
While Winnington says he still has “many years of hard work ahead of him,” he says he and McKee are planning how to implement the latter's new training regime over longer distances.
If they can achieve that, he is adamant that the Brisbane Games can remain on his radar.
“It's a long way to go — I have to get to Los Angeles first,” says Winnington.
“Athletes dream of having the Olympics on home soil, but it’s just a matter of timing. I’m close to making it happen, but we have to wait and see.”
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