BRITISH SQUAD READY FOR EUROPEAN TEST
European titles will be at stake this week for Britain's
swimmers in Helsinki but they will be competing with one eye
on the bigger prize of world medals in just under four months'
time.
The British squad of 30 swimmers, comprising those who have
qualified for the World Championships in Melbourne next March,
will contest the European Short Course Championships in full
training but it is a situation they are used to and ready
for.
British Head Coach Ian Turner leads the team in Helsinki
and will be using the occasion to see how swimmers are preparing
ahead of the World Championships.
"British Swimming has a philosophy of its athletes swimming
right through this December meet and we'll be following that
tradition once again this year," explained Turner.
"It takes on an added significance this year because
of the close proximity of the World Championships in March
so athletes will be training throughout the meet so it doesn't
impede their Melbourne preparations which are at a very critical
point.
"It's virtually impossible to reduce the training volumes
and rest for both the European Championships and the World
Championships so we'll use Helsinki to gauge the work needed
to be done before Melbourne. But I'm confident they're up
to the challenge."
It's an important meet not only to analyse progress but it
gives the swimmers another opportunity to test themselves
at the highest level.
"Our athletes will have the chance once again to race
against some of the world's best swimmers and the competition
structure itself - four entries per nation, per event and
with only two progressing to the semi-final stages - promotes
fast heat swims as swimmers battle for the two places available,"
said Turner.
"What I want to see from the British team are good,
solid performances that rely on a high standard of skill which
has been developed by the hard work they've undertaken during
the past two months."
Many of the British swimmers in action this week have just
returned from overseas training camps. This included a large
group who spent seven weeks on the Gold Coast in Australia
where they were put through their paces in outdoor, 50m pools.
"This period of the swimmer's year is about laying down
a block of training that will serve them throughout the competitive
months. It's their reserve that they draw upon and the right
levels, and quality, of training now will give the right result
at the major meets," explained Turner.
"The European Championships will indicate to coaches
where an athlete is after such a big block of training and
what matters need to be addressed by the time the biggest
meet comes around.
"We'll have a team of sports scientists in Helsinki
analysing athletes' performances while paying particular attention
to starts and turns which short course swimming in 25m pools
tests to the full.
"It's about making sure these elements of a swimmer's
performance are perfected now, in a pressure situation and
while fatigued through training. This will ensure they're
right when they're rested."
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