BRITAIN READY FOR FASTEST EVER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Britain's swimmers head into what is being regarded as the
toughest and certainly the biggest World Championships in
history on Sunday in Melbourne off the back of their best
ever preparation.
The swimming element of the 12th FINA World Championships
gets underway at the Rod Laver Arena and the British team
go into the meet following three weeks of preparation in Australia
for what many claim is going to be the fastest event in history
by far.
Over 160 nations have converged on Melbourne for the swimming
and Britain arrive off the back of a successful 2006 where
they impressed at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.
But the World Championships promise to ask far more from
the athletes as the entire world, a year out from the Beijing
Olympics, is in attendance and looking to lay down a marker
for their own Olympic aspirations.
For British Swimming Head Coach Ian Turner it's an exciting
opportunity to see how far his swimmers have moved on since
the last event two years ago.
"We feel that, as a team, we've moved on significantly
since the last World Championships in Montreal," said
Turner. "However, make no mistake, medals will be very
difficult to come by here in Melbourne as the quality of the
entries is higher than at any meet that's gone before.
"British Swimming had a very successful 2006 thanks
to some great results at the Commonwealth Games and European
Championships. However, these must be kept in perspective
the world is here now and it's a different story.
"This is Melbourne but it isn't the Commonwealth Games
and people shouldn't expect the same level of results we achieved
12months ago. Although we have fond memories of Melbourne,
this is the World Championships and the challenge facing our
swimmers in comparison to the Commonwealth Games is a massive
one.
"The Europeans was an exciting meet for Britain also
and we left Budapest as top nation but we have to remember
we didn't top the medal table. Our result there was based
on medals, finalists and semi-finalists."
Turner believes Britain has realistic medal chances and these
have been identified. He also feels there will be medals out
there for the tough swimmer to grab, medals that don't belong
to a clear favourite and that will ultimately adorn the shoulders
of the most determined athlete.
"Britain has come to Australia with the understanding
that we've got several medal opportunities that we must seize
and that's what we've been working towards," said Turner.
"For three of the relays, they have the potential to
provide podium places and if we can convert that potential
then it would mean a high percentage of our team will leave
the World Championships as medallists."
Turner feels the sport has moved on a great deal since Montreal
and feels it's set to do so again at these World Championships
where times needed to make finals this time around would previously
have delivered medals.
He still has confidence, however, in the British athletes
he has watched over throughout their preparation on the Gold
Coast.
"We are well aware of the depth of field at this meet.
The world's best nations and swimmers are here and we have
to stand tall and make sure we compete," said Turner.
"It's going to be an extremely fast and demanding meet,
and I think you'll see some of the world's household names
from the sport finding those medals more difficult to come
by than ever before.
"But with this in mind the British Swimming team is
better prepared than ever before and with the current generation
of athletes and coaches we have a more focused group that
is determined to succeed."
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