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THE last time James Magnussen lined up on the blocks for a competitive race he won bronze as part of Australia's 4x100-metre freestyle relay team.
In the 10 months since the Rio Olympic Games, the Missile has been out of sight and out of mind.
Being out of the limelight is not something to which Magnussen has become accustomed, but it’s easy to argue this is exactly what he needed.
He has not had to face questions about his troublesome shoulder, nor faced the endless speculation as to whether he will ever return back to his best.
I’m sure he’d prefer to let his swimming do the talking over the next six to 12 months.
- James Magnussen's coach Lachy Falvey
Magnussen’s coach Lachy Falvey said the Olympic silver medallist's performances in the pool would speak loudest.
“I’m sure he’d prefer to let his swimming do the talking over the next six to 12 months,” he said.
“Sometimes you need that time out.”
Now, the 26-year-old has emerged from the shadows ready to dive back into international competition.
Magnussen is currently in Europe competing in the Mare Nostrum series (swim meets across Monaco on June 10-11, Barcelona on June 13-14 and then Canet on June 17-18) as part of a five-week tour.
He has entered the 50, 100 and 200-metre freestyle events, and will go head-to-head with national teammate Cam McEvoy, the top seed in both the 50 and 100-metre freestyle events.
Following the Mare Nostrum series, Magnussen will head to the annual Settecolli trophy meet on June 23 to 25, before rounding out his European trip with the French Open on July 1 and 2.
Magnussen will not compete in the world championships which follow soon after.
“A lot of the Australian team will use these events as preparation leading up to their world championship campaigns so there are a lot of big names over there,” Falvey said.
It’s another opportunity for James to see where he’s at on that world stage again.
- Lachy Falvey
“It’s another opportunity for James to see where he’s at on that world stage again.”
The Mare Nostrum series and the Settecolli trophy will form part of a “glorified training block” for Magnussen.
“In Europe, there are no time goals or positional goals, it’s more just about trying to improve with every race he does,” Falvey said.
“We realise step one is his first race and hopefully five weeks later is his build up to improving each facet of his race.”
Falvey said Magnussen had been preparing well for the European swim meets since returning to the water last December.
“It’s important for him to have that time off and physically it was good for his shoulder to be able to rest and heal properly,” he said.
“Now for him, it’s getting back into that atmosphere and getting back into his processes and heading towards February next year when the real races start with the Comm Games trials.”
For any swimmer or sportsperson, competing in something in your own backyard is a massive event.
- Lachy Falvey
Magnussen knows the Commonwealth Games loom on the horizon – it’s the event both he and Falvey want him to be primed for.
“For any swimmer or sportsperson, competing in something in your own backyard is a massive event,” Falvey said.
“Being being able to swim in front of your fans (in your home country) is not something that comes around very often.
“That’s as far as we’re looking is the February 2018 trials first and foremost.
“Then we’ll try and make the team, then after that we all want James to defend his Comm Games title in the 100 freestyle which he won in Manchester.”