Rough-house tactics

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medal favourite Emma Snowsill has been preparing for the hits that could come her way in this Saturday's triathlon.

World No.1 Snowsill was left with a sore jaw and bruises after receiving close attention from her competitors during the swimming leg in a Commonwealth Games lead-up race in Hobart last month.

Since then, her boyfriend, coach and training partner Craig Walton, has included some rough-house tactics - swimming over the top of her in training sessions - to prepare her for the Games.

"He has done it a bit lately," Snowsill said. "It frustrated me at first but he said, 'You've got to get used to it, get over it and just deal with it. At least you are aware of it, and don't fret when you are out there in the water and copping it on the chin'."

From Sydney Morning Herald