It’s been 15 years since gold medallist Giaan Rooney has swum a single lap of a pool, but the former athlete is still finding ways to honour her first love.
WATCH: Memorable moments of the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Before Olympian Giaan Rooney had even entered the world, her fate as a swimmer was arguably decided for her.
“I was born in 1982 and my mum actually went to the Brisbane Commonwealth Games opening ceremony when she was six months pregnant with me,” Giaan tells New Idea. “So I say it was ignited in the womb. My destiny was predetermined.”
The former swimmer may be onto something as it was sixteen years later that the then-15-year-old won her first gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Just two years on, the athlete scored herself two silver medals at Sydney’s iconic 2000 Olympic Games.
Giaan eventually achieved every athlete’s dream by earning herself that hallowed gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics, breaking a world record alongside her swim sisters Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas and Jodie Henry.
But it was in March 2006 when the swimmer took her last dive into the place she had called home for so long.
“I have not swum a lap in 15 years this month.” Giaan reveals. “I’ve been retired since March 2006 and I have not swum a lap in that entire time.”
And yet, for the mum-of-two, her love of sport has morphed into different fitness-inspired ventures – most recently in the form of active-wear.
Indeed, the 38-year-old has partnered up with clothing brand Harris Scarfe to create the all-new GR by Giaan Rooney active-wear range which has been designed for the everyday woman – using recyclable (REPREVE) materials in the process.
For Giaan, the inspiration for creating the line was primarily born out of wanting clothing that could accommodate her increasingly busy schedule.
“I think we expect and demand more from our active-wear as women than we ever have before,” the presenter tells New Idea. “And active-wear has become almost acceptable in situations and places that we would have never worn it in the past. And so we need it to fit all facets of our lives.”
The former athlete certainly has many facets she needs to cater for. Since exiting the pool, Giaan has found success as a TV presenter, appearing on both the Today Show and Getaway. The 38-year-old also shares two children, Zander, six, and Lexi, three, with husband Sam Levett.
But when it comes to juggling her career with her personal life, Giaan admits that she is still figuring it all out.
“We all talk about the elusive work life balance but I think Felicity Harley (author) put it best when she said ‘balance is BS’. Because I think there’s going to be certain times in your life when there is no balance. And I’ve always said it’s about having all the balls in the air and you focus on the ball that is about to drop.”
One “ball” in Giaan’s life that she admits has been hard to catch is, ironically, exercise.
“Everyone assumes that because I used to be an elite athlete that I am a) still fit and b) that I love exercise and it’s a natural part of my world.” the 38-year-old explains.
After admitting that she has not swum a single lap in 15 years, the presenter goes on to confess that the kind of training she was undertaking as an elite athlete is not suitable for her current lifestyle – or anyone’s for that matter.
“Fitness at that elite level is possibly not healthy for most humans.” Giaan reveals. “It is pushing yourself to your physical, emotional and mental limits every day of your life and that isn’t necessarily the healthiest place to be in a normal, average world.
“I had no idea how difficult it is to fit exercise into your life when it’s not your full-time job. And, on top of that, I have never been more unfit than I am right now; but I have also never felt happier, healthier or more energetic.”
The former swimmer elaborates that it took her some time to figure out what specific exercises worked for her. The 38-year-old eventually settled on Pilates, as well as walking her adorable dog, and engaging in, what she deems, “incidental exercise”; that is, parking as far away from the grocery store entrance as possible so she can get her steps up.
Giaan stresses that everyone should find the specific exercises that work for their own body, both physically and mentally, as each individual is different.
Speaking of different bodies, the gold medalist emphasises the importance of fostering body positivity within society, opening up about her own experience in the process.
“I went through the whole ‘feeling comfortable in your own skin’ mindset probably later than most females,” the former athlete tells New Idea.
“I was 23 when I retired from swimming and I had never, ever thought about what my body looks like because in my world it was what your body could do and what it was capable of.
“And then when I was 23 I went into a very visual medium of TV and figured out that there was a component of what your body looks like as opposed to what it does. So that was when my mindset was alerted to body image and the body positivity movement.”
The presenter has certainly welcomed the movement with open arms, explaining, “I love the fact that we’re embracing all different shapes and sizes because, at the end of the day, we’re all made of the same stuff.”
Giaan goes on to acknowledge that, while so many people are unfortunately held back by their “sense of self”, her relationship with her body has been a little different.
“I’ve been very fortunate that I have always felt comfortable enough in my skin that it’s never stopped me doing anything in my life.” the former Olympian admits. “In fact, I’m incredibly proud of what my body achieved as an athlete. And so I have that really healthy relationship because I have a pride in my body.”
When speaking of the people that are held back by their bodily perceptions, Giaan stresses that every small miracle performed by our bodies should be celebrated.
“Just by getting up in the morning, just by waking up, just by going about our everyday lives… the amount of small miracles that need to happen just for that to happen is incredible.” Giaan explains.
“I think that was really evident for me with being pregnant and giving birth and realising that we are so fortunate to have a body that can do that for us. And it doesn’t really matter what size or shape it is, if it can perform those small miracles every day, it’s already an incredible thing.”
In order to help other women to adopt this same mindset, Giaan emphasises that her new active-wear is “supportive and comfortable” and designed to make “women feel really good when they put it on”.
“It’s supportive in the right areas; it stretches in the right areas. So you can walk out the door and you’ve won half the battle of feeling confident, feeling put together, and feeling ready to take on the world.” the 38-year-old raves.
But it’s not just activewear keeping Giaan’s athletic spirit alive, the presenter is also set to commentate at the upcoming Olympic Games.
Giaan was all set to commentate at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when COVID hit and postponed the sporting event. However, all things going ahead, the former swimmer should still be taking the microphone – albeit from down under – when the games hopefully hit our screens this July.
While discussing the iconic sporting festival, the former swimmer lamented how hard the pandemic must have been for her fellow Olympians.
“I can’t even begin to image how difficult it has been for so many of our athletes.” Giaan tells New Idea. “Timelines are so critical in elite sport but, on top of that, not being able to have any meaningful competition in that twelve months is incredibly difficult to keep the motivation going, to stop the monotony of the day-in-day-out training, there’d be nothing to break that up for them.
“So I think they’re all superstars regardless of the outcome, but I desperately hope for them that they get that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow which is an Olympics that feels like an Olympics.”
The good news for the athletes is that Australia could be seeing another Olympics down under relatively soon. That’s right, our very own Brisbane is the current leading candidate to host the games in 2032. Giaan, for one, is all for it.
“It’s very hard to describe what it’s like to be able to have the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd, in front of your family and friends in your own country, wearing the green and gold. It is every athlete’s ultimate dream.” the once-swimmer enthuses.
“I’m desperately hoping that it works and it comes off and that everyone in Australia gets behind what could be such an epic event here in this country.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
