BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS TAKE ON NEW FORMAT
The British Swimming Championships in 2007 will adopt a
new-look programme as organisers prepare the nation's swimmers
for the 2008 Beijing Olympics where they will swim finals
in the morning instead of the traditional afternoon format.
Britain's biggest national swimming event, which will be
held at the Manchester Aquatic Centre from 26th March, will
run over seven days instead of the usual six in order to facilitate
the change of emphasis to swimming fastest in the morning.
The schedule will follow the Beijing Olympic programme of
morning finals and semi-finals and British Swimming will also
introduce B Finals in certain events as well as Junior Finals
in others.
Boys aged 18 and under and girls aged 16 and under will qualify
for the Junior finals if they don't make the senior final.
Time trials have also been scheduled as part of the programme
to allow swimmers at the event to try to qualify for additional
events and these will be held after morning finals and semi-finals
before afternoon heats.
The Championships will also act as the selection meet for
the European Junior Championships and European Youth Olympic
Festival next summer.
National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham is looking
forward to adopting the fresh approach to the British Championships
and he feels it will greatly benefit the swimmers.
"This should provide a great opportunity not only for
our senior athletes but for the vast number of our junior
swimmers to get more swims under pressure at our British Championships,"
said Sweetenham.
"It will also greatly assist in selecting Britain's
best team for the European Youth Olympic Festival and the
European Juniors."
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