The Rivendell scene in Lord of the Rings gave birth to one of the most famous internet memes of all time – for James Guy it’s the perfect material to get him pumped to take on the world’s best.
Sean Bean’s line ‘One does not simply walk into Mordor’ from the Fellowship of the Ring has been parodied millions of times with Guy using it on Wednesday to get in the mood for the evening session at the World Swimming Championships in Budapest.
It seemed to pay off, as he did a butterfly split of 50.51 seconds in the 4x100m mixed medley, although Britain could only manage fifth in the final, with the United States taking gold in a world record time.
For Guy however, it was proof that he is hitting form in the Hungarian capital, and after a slow start to the meet he is over the early nerves.
He said: “It’s weird how as I get into the meet I get more and more relaxed, it’s something I’ve been doing since the start of Rio, getting into the meet as the week goes on.
“Today I was watching Lord of the Rings and chilling. I’m not nervous, I’m not tense, I’m just loving it. It’s a great atmosphere and the crowd was buzzing.
“They are such quality films, I’m obsessed with them. I was watching the Fellowship today when they’ve just got into Rivendell. It’s amazing with the nine companions and it’s a pretty special film.”
Guy will almost certainly not match the two gold medals he picked up at the last World Championships in Kazan, with just the individual 100m butterfly and men’s medley relay to come.
But he is confident that Britain can finish the meet on a high, and push the United States all the way in Sunday’s relay, after the Americans got the better of them in Rio.
Guy added: “The size of the US, it’s massive and that has an effect on the depth they have got in every event. Our population is 65 million whereas they have 300-odd million.
“But for a small country we are very good. And it’s part of a four-year plan and we will come back stronger again. We will come back, I know we will.”
You can help the next generation of young British swimmers by getting involved in SportsAid Week this September with five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds OBE. Find out more about how you can support the week of fun and fundraising by visiting www.sportsaid.org.uk/sportsaidweek
Image courtesy of SpeedoInternational via YouTube, with thanks.