Forget Eye of the Tiger, these are the songs our athletes use to pump up
By Frances Howe
There are a number of momentous global events most of us will never get the chance to experience. Think holding up an Oscar, riffing on stage to a sold-out crowd or walking out to the starting blocks during the Olympic Games.
If you found yourself in that situation, how would you get in the zone? For our Olympians, getting in the right headspace before competing isn’t imaginary – it’s something they have to do, and music plays a big role.
Years of training, hours every day on the track, thousands of laps swum, but in the final minutes before competition, it comes down to a song. We asked some of our top athletes in Paris what they put on to pump themselves up before making that gold medal attempt.
Steph Catley, Shayna Jack, Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Stewart McSweyn.Credit: Getty
Mariafe Artacho del Solar, beach volleyball
Even if Mariafe Artacho del Solar had imagined her beach volleyball career would involve three Olympic Games, she probably couldn’t have pictured herself playing underneath the Eiffel Tower.
After winning silver in Tokyo, Artacho del Solar and teammate Taliqua Clancy have made it out of the preliminary phase at Paris. When they get to the next round, Artacho Del Solar told us they will walk out beneath the streetlights of Paris listening to one of the greatest musical motivators of all time: Journey’s 1981 classic Don’t Stop Believin’.
Stewart McSweyn, athletics
You might be inclined to think Chariots of Fire would be the go-to warm-up tune for those competing at the highest level. Not for 1500 and 500-metre runner Stewart McSweyn who told us that he listens to Dizzee Rascal’s 2008 club classic Dance Wiv Me.
It’s an upbeat favourite at millennial house parties. Clearly though, it soundtracks more sports than just beer pong.
Shayna Jack, swimming
When Shayna Jack approaches the starting blocks in Paris, she told us she’s listening to one song only: Eminem’s Not Afraid. The soundtrack to her remarkable return to competitive swimming, Not Afraid is a 2010 comeback anthem that won a Grammy.
The chorus incites listeners to take a stand, to weather the storm and reminds them that they aren’t alone – all fitting themes for a gold medallist’s return to the pool deck.
Tim Anderson, canoe slalom
Not all athletes can listen to music right before they compete to get in the zone. For Tim Anderson, music is best enjoyed when unwinding from a day of racing on the water. His 1969 pick, Ad Gloriam by Le Orme, is a five-minute psychedelic blessing. Groovy.
Steph Catley, soccer
It’s been well reported that the Matildas’ locker room soundtrack is one of the key captain’s duties for Steph Catley. She even put together a 41-song playlist for their Olympic tournament. Several Australian tunes made the cut including G Flip’s The Worst Person Alive, Troye Sivan’s Got Me Started and Keith Urban’s recent release Straight Line. Notably and perhaps partly responsible for their early departure, the team’s World Cup good-luck charm Strawberry Kisses didn’t make the cut.