EINDHOVEN WARM UP FOR HELSINKI-BOUND BRITS
Britain's swimmers will be in action at the Dutch World Championship
Trials in Eindhoven this weekend as a warm up ahead of the
European Short Course Championships in Helsinki.
The group of 15 swimmers will compete against the best Netherlands
swimmers at the long course (50m) meet just days before they
compete for European titles in Finland.
City of Newcastle swimmer Chris Cook is excited about the
prospect of racing again after what has been a long and arduous
few months of training
"The opportunity to race world class swimmers and to
get back onto the circuit is just so welcome because it's
been quite a slog so far this winter," explained Cook.
"I'm really looking forward to it. It will be great
to get out there to blow away the cobwebs. After all of the
training we've been doing it's the best preparation for getting
that race pace and speed just right."
Cook will also use the meet to analyse his recovery from
a groin injury encountered in the summer and to see how preparations
ahead of the World Championships in March next year are progressing.
"Following the European Championships (long course)
this summer, I returned home straight away and had two weeks'
hard work before taking a break," explained Cook. "This
is something I hadn't tried before but it's really paid off
for me.
"I feel my skill levels are up and I haven't struggled
to regain the fitness I normally lose by taking a two-week
break. It was simply a different approach but it's been of
real benefit.
"Normally I would have spent time abroad over the past
few months warm weather training but I've stayed in the UK
to make sure I'm over the groin injury which held me back
at the European Championships this summer.
"I needed to make sure it became stronger than it was
before and the leg affected is now contributing to my stroke
whereas I was just getting by throughout the summer."
The Dutch trials, swam long course (50m), will provide a
perfect warm up for Britain's swimmers who will be in Helsinki
the following week at the European Short Course (25m) Championships.
Attacking both long and short course within the space of
a week will provide Cook with many opportunities to work on
his preparation for next year's World Championships.
"Long course and short course swimming present very
different challenges. Long Course is obviously our priority
because we're judged on Olympic results and they are gained
in a 50m pool," said Cook.
"Short Course has its benefits as well though and I'll
be setting myself personal goals in Helsinki to work on my
starts and turns, gather data on my performances and use it
to ensure my preparation ahead of the World Championships
is where it needs to be."
Another athlete looking to return from injury in Eindhoven
will be David Davies (City of Cardiff) who will be using the
opportunity to try to qualify for the British squad bound
for the 2007 World Championships.
It will be his first competitive swim in eight months since
suffering from a foot infection at the Commonwealth Games.
The distance freestyler will be out to qualify for the squad
by swimming the 1500m in under 15:12.14. Davies goes for qualification
on Friday 1st December.
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