TAYLOR HEADS BACK TO FULL TRAINING
Olympic and World medallist Leon Taylor is well on track
for a return to fitness following an injury which forced him
to pull out of the World championships in March.
Taylor (City of Sheffield) has been working on rehabilitation
from a long-term shoulder injury and a back problem for the
past five months. This has involved spending most days in
the gym, working through a tough body-conditioning programme
to prepare his body for top-level competition.
"I am having to take a break from competing at the moment,"
he said. "Last year I had two lots of shoulder surgery
and I worked hard to get back for the World championships
but I rushed it and had to withdraw with a different injury.
"I hadn't given myself enough time to work on my strength
and conditioning so this break from competition gives me time
to build on this before next years Olympics.
"I am now in the gym everyday working on my core stability
and my strength work, it is all going really well and it is
the first time since my shoulder injury that I have been training
like this and just dedicating my time to conditioning work.
"I have been doing wet-side workouts at the weekend
to get me back into my dives. I am building my strength to
take the knocks that come with a tough sport like diving."
The 29-year-old is now looking to the future after overcoming
the injury problems that have dogged him for the past five
years.
"I am really happy with how my training is going,"
he said. "I am building the foundations in preparation
for competing at the top-level and that feels great.
"I am scheduled to return to full training on 17th July
and that'll be great news, and with my new strength it will
only lead to better performances.
"I love to compete and that is why I work so hard. At
the moment it is quite frustrating to have to watch from the
sidelines."
"My focus is on an invitational event in November, England
against Germany, and then I will be working towards the British
nationals in January next year.
"All of this will be in preparation for the World Diving
Cup next year, that is the last time I can qualify for the
Olympics in Beijing and that is my ultimate aim."
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