What does it take to miss your Olympic dream by a tenth of a second and still choose to sprint toward the next start line? In this episode of the Mastering Podcast, host Magnus Olsen and co-hosts Lucas Meadowcroft and Don Sanka sit down with Australian swimming powerhouse Abbey Harkin for a raw, energising conversation about heartbreak, healing, and the decision to double down on the future.

Abbey opens up about the Paris trials, the three-day whirlwind as her partner headed to the Games, and the messy honesty of wanting to quit before choosing to rebuild. She takes us inside the strange logic of breaststroke, why trying harder can make you slower, how trust in timing beats frantic turnover, and how data kept her honest when nerves spiked. We dig into the electrifying difference a relay makes, from anchoring pressure to team culture, and why Australia’s depth can make a national relay spot tougher than an Olympic final.

If you’re interested in resilience, elite performance, technical mastery, or crafting a life that holds more than one dream, you’ll feel the fire in this one. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to support more conversations like this, and tell us: what setback made you stronger?

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