WALL OF FAME BECKONS FOR OZ-BASED BRITS
On a poolside wall of a Queensland school in Australia a
rather large area is being prepared for a roll of honour that
will hang in recognition of impressive feats achieved this
summer by a small contingent of British swimmers living and
training at the historic establishment.
The Southport School on the Gold Coast has a rich tradition
for producing sporting greats such as Wallabies rugby players
Mat Rogers and Nathan Sharpe, highly-ranked golfer Adam Scott,
world rally driver Chris Atkinson and a host of Olympians
across many sports.
Inspired by this heritage and fuelled by a determination
to represent Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, the hand-picked
group of boys have made waves this summer on their return
to the UK and are a testament to the work being undertaken
at British Swimming's Offshore Centre.
The 10 athletes will return to the boarding school in a few
days and as they walk past a huge poolside banner proclaiming
"One heart, one goal, one team", which they themselves
designed, their heads will be held a little higher.
Their achievements have not gone unnoticed by those within
the sport in the UK and they will be welcomed back warmly
by their Australian peers who appreciate exactly what it is
they've achieved and the sacrifices they've made in doing
so.
Within a two week period the squad amassed two European Junior
titles and nine silver medals, one ASA National Championship
title and two silver medals, seven ASA Swim 21 Youth Championship
titles, one silver and six bronze medals.
In racking up the collection of silverware, the group set
six British Age Group Records, a Welsh Record, received the
award for the Best Junior Male at the ASA Championships for
Marco Loughran of Guildford City and collectively secured
an outstanding 44 personal best time swims.
The brainchild of British Swimming National Performance Director
Bill Sweetenham, the Offshore Centre is now under the guidance
of Chris Nesbit who has put in place a programme that repeatedly
delivers when put to the test.
And the former Portsmouth Northsea coach is rightly proud
of the results achieved and the effort, character and determination
of all involved in making the summer of 2007 such a memorable
one.
"I feel the guys individually and as a team delivered
the result we wanted. We just about got everything we set
our sights on but we're not totally happy because we're always
striving for perfection. It wasn't perfect but it was pretty
close," said Nesbit.
"We won many medals, titles and all made massive improvements
in terms of personal best times. It's been a great summer
for all concerned with the Offshore Centre."
The group left Australia at the end of June and broke the
long journey with a week in Singapore where they continued
to train to keep their levels of fitness required for a demanding
few weeks in Europe.
And preparations for the European Junior Championships in
Belgium (18th to 22nd July) continued in Loughborough on arrival
in the UK before travelling to Antwerp and helping to spearhead
Britain's best-ever result outside of home waters with 17
medals in total - seven gold, seven silver and three bronze.
"This year in particular I've seen the guys make some
real strides," said Nesbit. "In Antwerp last month
it was interesting to see how the lads assumed the unofficial
roles of team leaders. It shows maturity and an independence
that is promoted by living as part of the system at TSS.
"The Offshore Centre offers a programme that is a little
more concentrated than you'd probably have in the UK. The
group has unlimited access to fantastic outdoor, 50m facilities
and the programme supporting them means these types of people
can be fast-tracked through the system.
"It's a product of the system that these guys are making
such massive gains as athletes and as people outside of the
sport. And this progress is going to have a real, positive
benefit on the national senior team very soon when this group
becomes part of that hierarchy."
The six swimmers involved in the European Juniors accounted
for two gold medals, nine silver medals (including relay swims)
and four British Age Group Records.
This record contributes well to an impressive account over
the past two years which now stands at 16 medals with two
of those being gold.
And these good performances continued in Sheffield at the
ASA Youth and National Championships where collectively the
10 swimmers accumulated 17 medals.
However, it wasn't just in terms of performance where the
Offshore Centre boys made a big impact.
Physically the swimmers stand apart from many of their British
peers. They're big, broad athletes that would look at home
in any American or South African relay quartet.
They have the necessary physical attributes to compete against
the very best in the world and as a unit there was no closer
bond in evidence on the poolside of the ASA Championships.
The unique relationships the athletes share are built on
a foundation of living together in a boarding school environment.
There's an understanding between the group that sets them
apart from the rest and it's an exciting prospect for the
senior team.
Due to the level of improvements over the past 12 months
coupled with recent results Nesbit feels some of the group
are now very close to realising their dreams earlier than
expected and could well break into the British team bound
for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"We're now in a position where a number of the boys have
an outside chance of making the squad for Beijing and this
is something we couldn't have predicted 12 months ago,"
said Nesbit.
"Our sprinters could well make it onto the relay teams
and Loughran is within striking distance of the backstroke
events despite the fact they are probably the most difficult
to break into in this country given the strength of the competition.
"In the distance events we also have two guys who will
be trying to win one of two spots in the men's 1500m Freestyle
behind David Davies.
"It's within their grasp now and anyone with real intentions
of going to Beijing has now got seven or eight months to do
something about it. We'll be there to make sure they get every
assistant in realising this goal.
"I would like to think that at least one or two of them
could make the step up and we'll all being working hard towards
that aim. A year ago you would have to say that didn't look
possible and is testament to all those involved in the Offshore
Centre."
Many of the current squad will graduate at the end of the
school year (January 2008) and British Swimming is currently
looking to enrol six more boys onto the system to continue
to ensure stars for the future are nurtured effectively.
TSS offers an attractive proposition to any young male swimmer
looking to continue their education while giving entirely
to the sport in an effort to achieve their aspirations.
A 10-lane, 50m pool and an eight-lane 25m pool - both heated,
floodlit and outdoor - offer unparalleled access when compared
with facilities in Britain.
They can be utilised 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year
and Nesbit makes certain this unique opportunity is used to
its fullest. The guys can acclimatise to different time zones
around the world without leaving the school as their days
can be tailored accordingly, training times shifted to anytime
around the clock and sleep patterns created in readiness to
be somewhere else, thousands of miles away.
It's a system, now in its fifth year for British Swimming,
that is getting results yet Nesbit is keen to see these transfer
to the senior set up. For him, however, it is only a matter
of time.
"We need to ensure these impressive results are translated
into the senior set-up while the next selection of swimmers
we induct into the Offshore Centre continue to have a positive
effect on our national junior teams," explained Nesbit.
"The targets we'll therefore be working towards will
be to get the senior guys in the best shape possible for the
Olympic trials while ensuring the new faces to Southport carry
on the good work and rich tradition being put in place today.
"This summer has seen a real return for all of the time
and effort put into the Offshore Centre by British Swimming
but we won't be resting because of that fact.
"There is too much to play for over the next five years
with Beijing and London real possibilities for our graduates
and we want to make sure they have the best possible preparation
to meet those demands."
National Performance Director Sweetenham has been very pleased
with the progress of the Offshore Centre and believes it to
be the perfect move for young swimmers aiming for success
in 2012.
"It really is a fantastic programme. It's moved forward
a great deal under the leadership of Nesbit and efforts of
his assistant Liam du Feur. There is no doubt it will produce
an outstanding group of male athletes for 2012," said
Sweetenham.
"Since its launch five years ago the programme has grown
and developed, and is producing some very exciting results."
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