Bree reveals failed drugs test acted as spur
Ireland's Andrew Bree swims to victory in heat 4 of the men's 200m breaststroke Photo: Greg Wood/Getty Images
AFTER narrowly failing to make Irish swimming history by just .19 of a second, Down breaststroker Andrew Bree revealed yesterday that he never believed his failed drugs test would stop him from realising his Olympic dream.
"I knew at the end of the day I wouldn't get in trouble for a Vicks inhaler the size of my small finger, there's a lot worse cases of drugs than that," said the 27-year-old from Helen's Bay, Co Down who broke his Irish 200m breaststroke record for the second day in-a-row yesterday, but still couldn't become Ireland's first male swimmer to make an Olympic final.
Bree was dragged through the anti-doping disciplinary process earlier this year when he failed a drugs test for a substance taken in an over-the-counter medicine.
Fortunately, he escaped with just a warning and somehow held his form through all the drama, lowering his Irish record for the second consecutive day to a new mark of 2:10.16.
But, fifth in his semi-final, Bree's time still wasn't good enough to make the top-eight final in Beijing's blisteringly fast 'Water Cube', leaving him just 11th best in the red-hot field.
Yet he was well pleased with shaving three seconds off his record in two days and keeping it together after a traumatic year.
"It was bad, because my name probably will be associated with it (drugs), but that's not my worry. If people want to think that they can think it," he said.
"It was a pretty difficult time but from day one, when it (the positive test) happened, my coach was like, 'you're going to Beijing, just train like you're going to Beijing' so it almost spurred me on to train harder than ever," Bree revealed.
"The fact that I was in Knoxville too (he trains full-time in Tennessee) and not dealing with the media a lot helped.
"Obviously my mum and dad would have seen it a lot, in having to speak to everyone, but it was good for me that I was able to detach myself from it.
"The American who coached Brendan Hansen (former world record holder), congratulated me on my swim last night and said you're way better than that (drugs story), so that kind of helps too.
"Just around the beginning of April everything started coming together again, we moved into a new facility and I started recovering better after practices.
"I'm up there now with a lot of fast swimmers and I can only improve. I feel I've only tapped into my potential," Bree said.
"An Australian coach said to me that 2:10 low would definitely make the final but that shows the standard out there," he said after seeing 2:09.97 taking the last qualifying spot.
"It's been a very positive Games for me, especially after everything I've been through, it's just unfortunate they come around every four years. But it's good in terms of getting the name out there and being up in the ranks," he added.
Bree said it was too early yet to say whether he'd keep going until London 2012.
"But World Championships in Rome next year is another opportunity. I'm the oldest dude there, but I feel like I'm just starting to learn.
"Obviously there's a slight disappointment there that I didn't make the final, but it's all done and dusted now."
- Cliona Foley
