BRITISH TALENT TO TEST THEMSELVES AT EUROPEANS
A squad of young British swimmers who will be at their peak
age of development at the London 2012 Olympics will descend
on Belgium next week to test themselves against their European
counterparts. The 26-strong squad will be competing in Antwerp
and will take on the finest junior swimmers in Europe. Although
sending a smaller squad in comparison to those in more recent
years, the team is not lacking in talent with all having realistic
aspirations of being at the 2012 Olympic Games. With the sport
preparing for the London Games in just under five years time,
the European Junior Championships both this year and next
will have greater significance as the athletes competing in
these championships will be in their prime.
The squad is a mix of experience and newcomers, with Lizzie
Simmonds, a member of the World Championship squad that competed
in Melbourne earlier this year heading the team, and she will
look to defend the 200m Backstroke title she won last time
around. "I'm really looking forward to the competition
and trying to defend my 200m Backstroke title," said
Simmonds. "My preparations have been going really well
and I have been in a tough training block since the World
Championships. I haven't really competed since Worlds, and
am not particularly tapered going into the meet." As
one of the youngest at last year's championships, Simmonds
will face new opponents although there will be some familiar
faces. "Some of the athletes I raced last year will compete
again although a number of others from 2006 will now be too
old to compete," said the Lincoln Vulcans swimmer, "but
I'm looking forward to the meet and will go out there to do
the best I can." Simmonds will be the most senior member
of the squad and many of the younger swimmers will look to
her for guidance. "I hope I can help the newcomers to
the squad if they need it. After you settle in, it becomes
easier to find you own way and being part of a team is a fantastic
experience," said Simmonds.
As the team look forward to the start of competition, Head
Coach Bill Pilczuk explained what is he is looking for from
the squad. "I am not focusing on the medal table for
this meet," said Pilczuk. "It is an opportunity
for those new to the set-up to gain experience at international
level with the chance for them to win. "The members of
this squad are those who could potentially represent Great
Britain at the 2012 Olympics, with some of them also having
realistic hopes for Beijing in 2008, and all of them will
feature at the Olympic Trials next year," explained Pilczuk.
"For athletes with more experience of swimming at an
international level this will be a good opportunity for them
to lead from the front as they begin to, if not already the
case, break into the senior squad." The five-day competition
runs from 18-22 July at the Wezenberg pool in Antwerp, twice
host of the championships, and the British squad will go into
the event with high hopes.
|
