SWEETENHAM EXPECTS DIFFICULT TEST IN JAPAN
Britain's swimmers will look to close their season on a high
just a year out from the Beijing Olympics when they undertake
the toughest test of their summer.
The British Swimming squad will be in action in Chiba, Japan
(21st to 24th August) at what is being billed as the biggest
international event of the summer calendar and National Performance
Director Bill Sweetenham is expecting the standard to be very
high.
"It's going to be a fast meet and we're going to see
some strong performances," said Sweetenham. "Some
of the best nations in the world will be sending large teams
and this is highlighted by the U.S. who will have a team of
60 plus.
"Our British team is a mixed group and we're without
our relays so it's smaller in that respect but it's got some
high-calibre competitors and we'll be expecting them to go
well.
"The team contains some real medal prospects for Beijing
as well as a younger group of talented athletes who may well
be there but are looking towards the London Olympics as their
main focus."
Since the FINA World Championships in Melbourne a number
of events have been held around the globe but the Chiba meet
offers the British squad a real insight into what to expect
climate-wise in Beijing next summer.
Temperatures of over 40 Celsius and high humidity are to
be expected and Sweetenham is pleased his swimmers will be
able to realise this now without dealing with the shock of
it in 12 months time.
It's an important part of the preparation for Britain's swimmers
in the run up to Beijing and experience gathered now will
only serve them well next year.
"This meet is part of the process and not an end result
but it will give the British squad an ideal taste of what
they will have to cope with in Beijing," explained Sweetenham.
"It's an Asian experience where the language, culture
and diet will be so very different and any way the athletes
can learn to cope with that now with a view to practising
it in China will be of real benefit to them and the team as
a whole."
Sweetenham also believes it's the perfect environment on
which to sign off the long course (50m) season and to send
out the right messages to rivals who also share Olympic aspirations.
"It's their last meet and I'm sure the guys will be
looking to go out on a high and show their intentions 12 months
out from an Olympics," said Sweetenham.
"Swimmers and coaches in Britain this summer had the
option of a number of meets to attend but I feel this one
will provide the toughest test.
"Everyone has taken a different approach and experienced
a different combination of events but throughout them all
we've seen some very fast swimming and we'll certainly be
expecting best times as you have to target that aim to compete
at this level.
"In Paris, Indianapolis and Bangkok this summer we've
seen some quite impressive performances from the swimming
world. Records have fallen like nine pins and this is set
to continue in Japan."
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