Popov has to go solo

Alexander Popov will be without his coach in the build up

Alexander Popov faces a lonely build up to the Olympics as he seeks to become the first man to win the same event at three games.

The Russian will have to train on his own, without the services of his coach Gennadi Touretsky because as well as guiding Popov, Touretsky is also involved with the Australian squad.

So while Touretsky is in Melbourne with the Australian team, Popov will be ploughing his lonely lengths in isolation at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

You would like your coach there with you just to help you out a bit, but I have done it before so I guess it is not bad

  Alexander Popov

"You would like your coach there with you just to help you out a bit, but I have done it before so I guess it is not bad," said Popov, who won in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle at the Barcelona and Atlanta.

Popov followed Touretsky to Australia seven years ago when his coach was offered a permanent job at the AIS.

Popov has been based in Australia since and this will not be the first time that he has had to do without the guidance of his coach.

Successfully defended

Popov travelled to Helsinki on his own for the European Championships this summer and it did him no harm as he successfully defended his 50 and 100m titles.

Back in Australia and in company with Touretsky, Popov did the sprint double at a warm-up meeting in Melbourne which involved swimmers from 15 countries, including Australia.

The thing is that I have done it before so I know what to do

  Alexander Popov

They will not meet up again until next month when the Australians leave their training camp.

But Popov does not believe that his solitary existence will harm his medal chances.

"The thing is that I have done it before so I know what to do," he said.

"I am not chasing anything - I am just trying to stop the others from what they are aiming at."