By IANS,
Sydney: Life has changed overnight for Alicia Coutts, a relatively unknown Australian swimmer who won five gold medals at the 19th Commonwealth Games.
Coutts, 23, who travelled to India on the undercard, was so obscure she’s never had a sponsor, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
But now life has changed. Earlier, when people were asked about Coutts, who she was, no one had any idea. After the Delhi Games, they might recognise her.
Many doubted her capacity to push through from the ranks of relay swimmers to stand alone on top of the podium.
Even Coutts, who made the final of the 200m individual medley in Beijing but struggled to get back to her best after abdominal surgery, was close to quitting, the report said.
“I actually didn’t know if I wanted to swim any more. I always had in the back of my mind, ‘Will I ever be back to where I was?’ I’ve definitely got over that,” said a jubilant Coutts.