Four years after hanging up his goggles, swimming great Michael Klim — now 34, a business owner, father of three and a swim coach himself — is back in the pool and pushing himself hard to try to make the Australian team for this year’s London Olympics. But why?

 By Tim Spicer

Cutting a dominant figure in the pool, Olympian Michael Klim’s powerful stroke made him one of Australia’s most revered swimmers for more than a decade. Plagued by recurring shoulder injuries, he retired from racing in 2007, but could look back on a career the envy of any athlete: two world records (in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly), twice world champion in individual events, six medals at three Olympic Games (Atlanta, Sydney and Athens), being named world male swimmer of the year in 1997 and being honoured with an Order of Australia in 2001. Only an individual Olympic gold medal eluded him, finishing with the silver in the 100m butterfly in Sydney in 2000.

In 2006, Michael married Lindy Rama, 34, a former model, fashion entrepreneur — and a real-life Balinese princess, the niece of the king of Denpasar. They have three children: Stella, five, Rocco, three, and Frankie, seven months. When not spending time with his family or coaching the elite squad at Wesley College (his old school in Melbourne), Michael is more than busy managing his burgeoning business — a men’s lifestyle brand called Milk, which he launched online in 2008. Milk (“Klim” spelled backwards) is made using organic, marine-based ingredients to combat the effects of sun, sweat, sea — and chlorine. Along with being stocked in major stores in Australia, the brand is also making a splash overseas, with Michael recently securing a deal to sell Milk through the huge UK pharmacy chain Boots.

Now, after being out of the competitive pool for four-and-a-half years, Michael Klim is back, and busting his butt in both pool and gym to secure a spot on the Australian squad for this year’s Olympics in London in July. It would be his fourth Games, a wonderful achievement, yet he knows he first has to get through the Australian Olympic trials in Adelaide in March.

Realistically, Michael’s eyeing a spot on the freestyle relay team, so will have to finish in the top six to gain selection, going head to head with the likes of current sprint superstar James Magnussen, 20, the reigning 100m freestyle world champion, and a pack of hungry young guns, some half his age.

Has he got what it takes to make a fourth Olympics? MF caught up with him to find out.

• I’m still hungry to win…

That’s instilled in me. The hunger is still there, although not having swum for four-and-a-half years, I’m realistic about where I’m coming from.

•  There’s no reason you can’t perform into your 30s…

Look at David Beckham and Cadel Evans. It’s a challenge, but that’s what prompted me to have a crack at qualifying for London. And I have a young family who haven’t ever experienced that side of my identity. Eighteen months from the qualifiers, I said to my family and coach, “Let’s have one more roll of the dice.”

•  I kept fit when I retired from swimming in 2007 …

Physically, I was carrying a lot of injuries [Michael had chronic shoulder problems], and mentally I was over competing. I’d also started my business and had a young family. However, fitness and healthy living have always been a big part of my life, so although I’d retired from competitive swimming, I’d remained fit by cycling, running and even doing  adventure races, using swimming for recovery.

“Eighteen months from the qualifiers, I spoke to my family and coach and said:’Let’s have one more roll of the dice’.”

•  I’ve rediscovered the power of teamwork…

Initially in retirement, I didn’t find myself missing the camaraderie of the team, as I enjoyed the separation from the sport — I liked my freedom. But recently spending time in a team environment again has felt empowering. Because I’ve been out of the game for a while, I had to take small steps before I felt like I belonged again, but there’s no greater feeling than being part of a successful team.

•  I have things I can use to my advantage…

The confidence I have in my support team is the biggest one — and having done it before. While the team’s less extensive than the one we had while training at the Institute of Sport in Canberra for eight years, it’s strong. A strong team is a lesson I’ve taken from swimming into my business.

• The mistake younger athletes can make is…

They can get caught up looking over the fence at what their competitors are doing and trying to copy them. However, what might work for your competitor might not work for you.

• If I don’t make it at the Australian Olympic trials…

I’ll know I have done everything possible — and enjoyed myself. But I want to succeed, or I wouldn’t be doing it. That said, how fast the other guys swim is out of my control.

• I still get nervous…

But nerves are a sign that it means something to you. Nerves happen all the time. The more preparation I’ve had, the better I can manage them. At the moment, I’m embracing it and they’re good nerves — not debilitating ones!

• If I had to train the hours I used to when I was younger,I would never have come back…

My hours have changed dramatically. We used to have to swim a lot — and I could endure it then. I’m still resilient, but now it’s more about the quality of movement and our strokes, focusing on the specifics of the race.

• To rehabilitate and strengthen my shoulders…

Thankfully, during this comeback I haven’t had any issues with my shoulders. I have loose shoulders genetically, which means having muscle bulk around the shoulder is important, so I work on building posterior and anterior muscle bulk. Same goes for my back — I had a prolapsed disc, so people advised against doing deadlifts and good-mornings, but actually the key was restrengthening those muscles with those exercises.

• In a typical gym session, I…

Do five sessions a week, warming up with intensive jogging, shuttle runs or cycling — combined with core exercises, such as monkey-bar walks. Pulley machines help my stroke — I always work on improving phases of it — at the moment, it’s about the catch. I also do squat jumps with about 50kg — on a barbell on my shoulders — to build explosive power. Also, I do rotations and core work using the Roman chair in the gym — when you’re fatigued in  the water, the first thing you do is drop your hips. All my workouts are on an app on my phone, called Visual Coaching Pro.

“We did high altitude hikes in snow up to our knees we called ‘stomping’ – at 3500m, you really feel the lack of oxygen.”

• After a hard session…

I go for a walk. Exercise is important for recovery, so I stay active after workouts. Also, I use massage and physio to maintain my range of motion and stay loose. The facilities at the Victorian Institute of Sport in Melbourne are incredible — with hot and cold baths and spas…

• If I possess a nutritional “secret weapon”,  it’s…

That I always start the day with a big breakfast. I also fuel my body within half an hour of exercise — that’s when your body absorbs fuel best and helps you recover quickly. I’m mindful of portion control and a good balance.

• It’s good to get high…

I’ve recently got back from three weeks of high-altitude training in Sierra Nevada in Spain. We call it “stomping”, which is three- or four-hour hikes up to your knees in the snow. At 3500 metres, you feel the lack of oxygen in a big way. It’s all about increasing your metabolic rate. Training uninterrupted for three weeks really increases productivity.

• A moment in my career that wasn’t positive, but made me a better swimmer…

Came after a shoulder reconstruction in 2003. I was at my lowest, physically and mentally then, but working my way out of it was my most rewarding experience. There was limited time to qualify for the Athens Olympics in 2004 and I struggled through six months of rehabilitation and kicking with my arms by my side. I qualified fifth and swam three relays for Australia at the Games. We just got touched out by the Americans in the 4 x 200m, but it was hugely rewarding, as I never thought I’d make the dais.

• Some guys reckon they’re married to a bit of a princess…

But I’m married to a real one. That makes me her slave, doesn’t it? I know the royal family in Bali is pretty extensive, but it’s not often you can say you’re married to royalty. I always joke to Lindy, “You might be the princess of Bali, but I’m king of the pool!”

“My old coach always used to give me this advice:it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”

• Fatherhood has made me more resilient…

And patient. I’ve realised there’s no formula for being a parent. You make it up as you go — each kid’s different. The same goes for my swimming these days  — I used to be a perfectionist, but now I’m more open to change.

• Klim Swim, my swim-training program…

Started in 1999. My coach helped me set up a structure to teach kids how to swim. The water-safety message in Australia needs to be strong and I feltI could pass on knowledge. In our prime, we had five swim schools and were teaching 3000 kids a week.

• If you hadn’t become a swimmer…

I would’ve liked to pursue my creative side — at school, I enjoyed drawing and architecture. But you gravitate towards things for a reason and I had the right temperament for swimming. And physically I was right for it.

• Among my sporting heroes was Boris Becker…

When I was young, I was very into tennis and used to mimic the way he bounced the ball. Also, Duncan Armstrong, when he won the gold in the 200m free in Seoul in ’88. That was my first memory of Australian swimming. And Kieren Perkins, after he won 1500m gold in Barcelona in ’92 and Atlanta in 1996. I was lucky enough to be on the same team.

• Outside of swimming, my passions are…

Family, sport and fitness. I run a corporate health solutions program called Trew Health to help people be their best. We’ve run programs where people have lost 12kg in eight weeks and have this amazing transformation — not just physically, but mentally too.

• The best advice I  received…

“It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” My old coach always used to say that.

• Advice for MF readers…

In any type of training, consistency is key. And having fun with it too — it’s all about enjoying it.