Swimming: Leisel opens her heart for PR gold

In the squeaky clean, some would argue sterile, world of swimming, Australian Leisel Jones has always been a bit of loose cannon.

No vanilla-laced answers from this straight-talking breaststroker.

She has generally spoken her mind and not been one to hide her emotions.

However, Jones has now realised that words and actions out of the pool can sometimes be as powerful as performances in the water.

Image is everything in sport and the young girl who made her first Olympic team at the age of 14 has finally learnt how to compete in the public relations war.

It may have taken her six years and a caning in the media at the Athens Olympics, but Jones is learning to smile for the cameras and play the role of the bright, bubbly personality that is seemingly demanded of the nation's female swimmers.

The Queenslander crushed her 200m breaststroke world record at last week's Commonwealth Games trials by more than a second in Melbourne, an extraordinary feat on its own.

Then on Friday night she set a world record in the 100m breaststroke. Jones clocked 1m 5.71s in the final, wiping 0.49s seconds off American Jessica Hardy's record set at the 2005 world championships in Montreal.

Earlier she poured her heart out to the nation and talked about how she had dealt with depression and fixed her attitude problem.

She exposed herself to the very core and it was public relations gold.

"I heard quite a few comments on [broadcaster] Channel Nine and I got a good reception," said Jones.

"That meant more to me than swimming fast."

Jones admitted her reformation from teenage brat to self-assured 20-year-old hasn't been easy and she is still learning the PR ropes.

"I have to try and show that more on camera. People thought because I didn't smile after races that I was a very unhappy person.

"I probably was, but now I have to make a conscious effort to smile all the time even if I am not happy," she said.

"I just believe I have to be honest to myself and if people can't accept that now, then that is too bad."

Jones has realised that stepping out of her comfort zone with the media won't necessarily backfire on her.

"I have had a lot of comments already about how open I am in interviews now and just I think I have realised that to be an athlete you have to be almost be a little bit vulnerable with the media," she said. "That you need to open up so much and let people into your heart to really see the person inside and I think a lot of people tend to shut off their emotions and feelings in interviews because they don't want people to see that.

"I am not very much a person like that and I have just decided to open it all up and let people see the real me.

"I have learnt that putting up this barrier does not do anything, because once people see the real you and you become vulnerable, that people will begin really appreciating that."

The truth is that Jones has rarely been a dull interview, she is just more open about herself nowadays and knows when to put on a happy face.

"I used to look at interviews with myself and think that is okay, that is the person I am and now look back and [think] that was not me at all," she said.

"The turning point was reading an article and I just burst into tears, just harsh criticism saying everybody hates her and why does she even bother swimming."

The epiphany came soon after her image was trashed at the Athens Games where she was branded a sore loser and her falling out with rival Brooke Hanson became public.

Late bloomer Hanson is a public relations machine, always ready to promote a product after pulling on Australia's heart strings with her silver-medal win in Athens.

Her hard-luck story of just missing two Olympic teams, beaming smile and perky nature are a marketer's dream and she is sharp enough to snap up any opportunity to promote her image. In swimming terms, she isn't one of Australia's top six performers but was still the main athlete featured on the Channel Nine advertisement for last week's trials.

Since the Olympics, Hanson has cashed in on her success while Jones lost sponsorship dollars despite major backers Speedo, Uncle Toby's and cosmetic company Innoxa sticking by her.

Jones' manager Karen Oates from Grand Slam International said Jones was not an athlete who could be easily controlled.

She may become more media savvy, but it is difficult to see her become a media manipulator.

"She will always be open, honest and spontaneous, she will never be prefabricated or rehearsed," she said.

There is now talk of Jones writing a book about her troubled teenage years and putting out a whole set of products for kids under her name.

But she will never be a sporting clone in tune with swimming's sugary sweet image as demonstrated by 100m freestyle rivals Libby Lenton and Jodie Henry sharing lollies at a post-race press conference last week.

Compare that to a press conference at last year's world championships in Montreal which perfectly summed up Jones' nature. Backstroker Sophie Edington inquired about how to handle herself in front of reporters.

"Just don't say anything bad about anyone," Jones replied instantly at such a volume that it could be heard throughout the media centre.

Good advice yes, but typical Jones, as subtle as a sledgehammer.

- AAP