EUROPEAN TEST AHEAD FOR JUNIORS
A young British Swimming squad will be put to the test in
Palma de Mallorca this week when they take on the rest of
the Continent at the European Junior Swimming Championships.
The 32-strong team, a mixture of experience and newcomers
to the European scene, will be out to match Britain's previous
best at an overseas championships - 12 medals from Moscow
in 1999.
Looking ahead to the competition, Head Coach Bill Pilczuk
said: "We want to perform here the way we know we can
when we're on home soil. We're definitely looking to match
the Moscow medal tally of 12.
"One of our key aims for this Championship is to get
as many swimmers as we can placed in the top eight from the
heats, so good heat swims will be very important.
"If we're top eight, we're in the final and then we're
in striking distance of a medal. Once we're into the final
we can race for a medal, if we're not there we can't."
LEN rules dictate that to progress from the semi-finals to
the final swimmers must finish in the top two in their semi-finals
or be one of the four next fastest, unlike competitions at
GB level where the fastest eight go through despite which
semi they swim in. So racing well in the heats will be crucial.
The British squad looks strong on paper with several swimmers
already making the senior ranks with selection to the European
Championships (50m) later this month.
"The fact we are competing in all six relays shows the
strength of the team," added Pilczuk. "I'll be looking
to the swimmers who are already breaking into the senior ranks
to inspire the rest of the team to raise their game too."
The four-day competition takes place in an outdoor pool at
the Son Hugo Swimming complex and begins on Thursday.
Swimming outdoors is a real challenge, for backstrokers especially,
and even the most experienced senior swimmers can have trouble
keeping straight in their lane with no roof beams to spot
from.
Backstroker Georgia Davies, from Swim Swansea, is competing
in her first European Juniors and had the opportunity to hone
her outdoor skills during the recent Mare Nostrum tour.
"I've found swimming outside confusing," explained
Georgia. "Training has been going well but once you pick
up racing speed it's harder to see. My strategy is to stay
close but on the lane rope and keep a look out of the corner
of my eye.
"I'm really enjoying the trip so far and can't wait
to see what it's going to be like when all the other countries
arrive. I'm looking forward to the atmosphere and want to
swim really well."
Bronze Medallists from the 2005 European Junior Championships
Jessica Dickons (Borough of Stockton) and Thomas Haffield
(City of Cardiff) are equally full of anticipation.
"I'm very competitive," said Jessica, who took
bronze in the 200m Butterfly last year. "The two swimmers
that beat me last year aren't here as they are a year older
than me but I'm sure they'll be a lot of other athletes in
with a shot. I'm desperate for the gold though this time."
Unlike Dickons, Haffield will face his fellow 2005 podium
finishers in the 400m Individual Medley, Hungarians Verraszto
and Kis.
"My training's going really well. I've started to do
some significant weights work now and feel much stronger than
I did last year," said Haffield.
"I've got something to prove to myself here after a
disappointing Commonwealths. I know the two Hungarians really
well and have trained with them a few times since we met last
year.
"I just hope the nerves don't get to me again but then
there won't be the thousands of spectators like at the Commonwealths."
The Team is being given every advantage possible to produce
the best performances with a strong support staff also travelling
to Palma. With nine coaches, Pilczuk has been able to put
the swimmers into small groups allowing coaches to focus on
each swimmer's needs.
|
