Making a champion
The small-town swimmer realising his big dream: Ben Armbruster dives into his swimming journey
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As his hand touches the wall at the end of a race, there is one ritual playing on Ben Armbruster’s mind — a phone call home. The 22-year-old’s swimming career began in Stanthorpe where a tightknit rural community still ignites the fire in his belly. Armbruster's butterfly and freestyle performances have awarded him medals from Nationals at Southport to the Swimming World Cup in Berlin, but his greatest motivation is making his parents and his hometown proud, and paving inspiration for upcoming rural swimmers.
With his sights set on qualifying for Paris next week in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly, the Olympics-hopeful and Bondy has opened up about his motivation.
Previous medals
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Q: Growing up in a town where the swimming pool was closed half of the year must have created some hurdles for you in chasing a swimming career. How did you navigate that?
A: Going into winter, the temperature would frequently hit negative numbers and the heaters couldn't keep the pool warm enough to swim. When I was much younger, I would play other sports such as soccer to keep fit during winter. But as I got older, we would drive an hour to Warwick to train at the closest indoor pool. Every morning before school I'd get up at 5am and make the trip to training and get back in time for school.
Q: What would it mean for you to be selected to compete in Paris?
A: I've spent the last 22 years of my life preparing for this event. This isn't just mine, but any swimmer's life goal really. It'd be huge, massive. There are all the other competitions you can go to, like the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships, but the Olympics is the pinnacle. It's where everyone wants to be.
"I've spent the last 22 years of my life preparing for this event."
— Ben Armbruster
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Q: You first trained under Chris Mooney when you moved to the Sunshine Coast. What was it about his coaching that had you follow him to Bond University in 2021?
A: He was very similar to my first coach from Stanthorpe, Gail Smail. She would happily pull me up if I was messing around or not training hard enough and Chris is similar. If you're not on you’re a-game, he lets you know very quickly. And his training sessions always address how I can improve.
Q: Has coach Mooney had you focussed on a particular part of your performance in the lead up to the Olympics trials?
A: We've been very focused on skills such as underwaters, our dives, turns — just areas that we agree are make-or-break opportunities to improve. They're areas which I think are neglected by many swimmers. So when I go and talk to younger swimmers, I always tell them to work on their underwaters because that's where other people don't and that's where you can be better, easily. That's what we've been focusing on, hugely.
Q: Outside of Mooney’s coaching, what are some areas you’ve been addressing to improve your performance?
A: We’ve left no stone unturned. I’ve been talking to our dietician at the Queensland Academy of Sport, I get physio advice, gym coaching sessions, even biotechs filming underwater to help with stroke correction.
Q: When all the hard work pays off, do you have any post-race rituals after a good performance?
A: I ring mum. She always has questions, so I’ll give her a debrief and reflect on what I’m happy with. It helps me decompress too. I’m very close with my family, and my parents are still back home in Stanthorpe.
Q: What motivates you to perform well?
A: I think it’s where I’ve come from and the people who have helped me — my family, my first coach and the town of Stanthorpe. There aren't many country athletes, let alone swimmers, so I find motivation in the fact I was able to get where I am and when I get out there and perform, it’s for my home town and those who have helped me on the way. I also do a fair bit of clinic work with younger swimmers and I know how much it means to them to be able to look up to an older swimmer they’ve met or an Australian Dolphin. I know my performances can mean something for them.
Q: What qualities and habits do you think are needed to make a champion?
A: Determination and persistence. You can’t be easily pushed over. If you come up against adversity, you can’t automatically give up, you have to be able push and drive yourself to be the best version of yourself.
In terms of habits, a big one is you’ve got to be able to control your eating, and that’s one that sometimes gets me. Everyone loves a cheat meal. But if you keep on top of it, it will help you perform physically, and keep you confident mentally. If you’re not eating clean, you pay the price in training and you learn quickly not to do it again.
We’ve got a competitive team so we drive each other and we love a good race in training, so if you’re not on you’re a-game, they’ll quickly let you know they can get a win over you.