Monday 21 March 2011

Success at the British Swimming Championships

After returning from an enjoyable and successful training camp in South Africa, my confidence was high going into the British Gas Swimming Championships in Manchester - which incorporated the trials for the World Championships in Shanghai.

I'd raced well in South Africa and trained well since the Commonwealth Games back in October 2010, but over Christmas I had a small setback.  What I now know was swine flu completely wiped me out for three days and then lingered for around 2-3 weeks.  However, by the time the British Championships came round I was in good shape and felt back to full fitness.

The day before I started competing in the 200 metres freestyle, I shaved down.  This means literally shaving your whole body and takes hours to do!  After that I tried to rest up, but without much luck.  Only five months earlier I'd lost my Commonwealth title to my good friend Robbie Renwick. Now I was excited, nervous and anxious about how the following few days would pan out.

The next morning went according to plan. I raced the heats of the 200 metres freestyle and felt comfortable, without setting the world alight. It was then a case of resting up as much as possible before the evening's semi-final, so I went back to the hotel for something to eat, and put my feet up for a while before heading back to the pool.

In terms of making ensuring progression to the next round, the semi-final was similar to the heats. It didn't matter which lane I had for the final because I felt comfortable and confident enough to perform well from any, as long as I was in the final.  But the stakes were much higher as this was where the real pressure started.  As a result I was very nervous before the semi-final, knowing that if I messed up or got disqualified then I wouldn't make the final and my chances of qualifying for the World Championships would be slimmer. Still, I had a race plan which I discussed with my coach, and I stuck to it. The semi-final swim felt good, I knew there was a lot more in me and I qualified for the final in 5th place! 

With a lane in the final and more in the tank, I knew I had a chance of winning.  In fact, straight after the semi-final I turned to my coach and said "I feel like I can win this."

Again it was a case of resting, eating and sleeping. The final was 24 hours after the semi, so there was a lot of time to think about the race.  Maybe too much..

In the evening of the final I was nervous again, although not quite as much as I was before the semi. By this point I knew all I could do was my best. I felt good in the warm up and was well-prepared for the race.

The race itself went how I predicted. The first 50 metres were very close but I knew I was up there with the leaders.  By the 100 metre mark I was leading and feeling comfortable there. Then the third 50 metres began to take their toll and I could see Robbie catching up on me. I know from racing against Robbie and Dave Carry over the past 7 years that they always finish strongly, so from there I just put my head down and gave everything I had left to make it to the wall first.

PICTURE BY VAUGHN RIDLEY/SWPIX.COM...
British Gas Swimming Championships 2011, Day 3 - Manchester Aquatics Centre, Manchester, England - 07/03/11

Looking up from the water I didn't know where I had finished.  Then I saw the scoreboard.  I had won and in doing so had qualified for my fourth World Long Course Championships!  I was ecstatic.






PICTURE BY VAUGHN RIDLEY/SWPIX.COM...
British Gas Swimming Championships 2011, Day 3 - Manchester Aquatics Centre, Manchester, England - 07/03/11


Robbie came a close second and Dave Carry came third. Both are great friends and fantastic competitors. We have raced each other so many times down the years. Sometimes I win, sometimes Robbie wins and sometimes Dave wins. It's great to have that competition from two brilliant guys.

This seems a good point to say thanks for all the messages of support and congratulations during the British Championships, however they've been sent: on Twitter, Facebook or even in real life!  It really does mean a lot.

Now it's time to train for a well-earned break. Once I return from holiday it'll be straight back to the daily grind of training. I'll compete in Europe a couple of times before heading out to the World Championships in China later in the year.

Bring it on!