FOSTER HOPING TO BOW OUT IN STYLE
Britain's Mark Foster hopes to round off his illustrious
swimming career with a seventh world title this week when
he competes at the World Short Course (25m) Championships
in Shanghai, China.
The veteran sprinter, who recently announced his plans to
retire from international swimming, leads a small but decorated
British team into the championships, which get underway tomorrow.
Foster says a gold in the 50 metres freestyle will be a fairytale
ending to his career, but with the fastest-ever field in the
championships' 14-year history, he knows it won't be easy.
"It'll be great to finish on a high note with a gold
on my final outing, but this will be the toughest world short
course championships ever," he said yesterday.
"I'm feeling sharp, I'm in much better shape than I
was at the Commonwealth Games and I've been in good form short
course."
A gold medal at the European Short Course Championships in
Trieste last year
puts him second in the world going into this week's competition,
where he is due to face some fierce opposition from American-trained
Nicholas Brunelli (USA) and Roland Schoeman (South Africa).
"It'll be a very difficult field to race against but
I have no idea what shape the other guys are in," Foster
said.
"It's too close to call. There's no reason why I shouldn't
be able to bring home the gold."
Foster's international swimming career spans 21 years, during
which he has won more than 30 medals at European, Commonwealth
and World level.
But it's in the short pool where he's most prolific, breaking
six world records while landing six world and eight European
titles.
"I've been most at home short course and that's why
this meet is a great way to end my career," Foster said.
"It's where I'm most comfortable and it's where I've
had the greatest success, so I'm playing to my strengths."
Foster says his only regret was not winning an Olympic medal,
despite taking part in four consecutive Games. He says now
is the right time to hang up his goggles, but whatever the
outcome this week, he'll hold his head up high.
"I've had an amazing career," he said. "But
what I've learned is to enjoy it and that's always my advice
to everyone. If I can come away with medals this week, that
will be the perfect ending."
Britain has sent a squad of eight swimmers to Shanghai, four
of whom picked up gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne recently.
Newcastle's Chris Cook will be looking to continue his winning
form in the sprint breaststroke events, as will backstroker
Liam Tancock (Loughborough University), along with Rebecca
Cooke (City of Glasgow) and Caitlin McClatchey (Loughborough),
who won golds for Scotland in the 800m and 200m freestyle
events respectively.
The squad also includes former long course world champion
James Gibson and world short course bronze medallist Kate
Haywood, who are among five Loughborough swimmers on the team.
They are joined by Melanie Marshall, a former European champion
in the 25-metre pool, who is ranked second in the 200m freestyle
this week.
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