“I thought I wanted to quit swimming” – How Zac Stubblety-Cook turns self-doubt into self-motivation

Now comes the second part of a unique back-to-back of major championships, and the eyes of the world are firmly on Zac as he arrives in England.

It’s a high-pressure scenario, and the Brisbane native is acutely aware of the weight of expectation on his shoulders. Perhaps unusually for an athlete seemingly with the world at his feet, the reigning Olympic champion is open about feelings of self-doubt – and how he uses them to drive his future success.

“I always feel a sense of ‘Is this what I am meant to be doing?’ and ‘Is this the best I have got?’”, he explained. “I have a deep, undying belief that I am not good enough, which is both a blessing and curse. Knowing that is how I am wired allows me to acknowledge that, and know that’s who I am, but use it when I want and down regulate it when I need to relax.”

If overcoming doubt has defined Zac’s career, Birmingham offers an opportunity for redemption following a disappointing Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast four years ago, which could have signalled a premature end to his glittering career.

“I had a real mental challenge in 2018 where I thought I wanted to quit swimming after an average performance the Commonwealth Games. I really questioned what I was doing, where I was going and how I was doing it. This ultimately led to me not repeating the same mistakes again, but to better myself every time I get behind the blocks both racing and training.”

While self-doubt is turned into self-motivation for Zac, there’s no questioning his love of the sport of swimming.