SWIMMING TO MAKE A SPLASH AT THE
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
In Glasgow in 2014 Scotland will have a strong swimming squad easily
capable of winning medals and repeating the success of Melbourne. Scotland
had a very successful Olympics.
Our main medal threats are Hannah Miley, Michael Jamison and Robbie
Renwick. Hannah and Robbie both made Olympic finals and Michael won
silver in the 200 breaststroke. All three will be going with an expectation to win
gold. Also with a medal threat will be David Carrey. This will be his last major
event before he retires and would love to end with a gold for Scotland.
Along with all the well known Olympians Robbie Renwick’s training partners
Daniel Scott and Ali Stirling will both be looking to go.
Daniel for the 100 butterfly and Ali for 100 and 50 freestyle.
As well as Daniel, Ali and Robbie representing Glasgow from the games,
Graham Wardell is to be announced as head coach of the Scottish team for
the games. Bill Ruddock coach of the juniors at the School of Sport was
happy to hear Graham is to be appointed.
“Graham is one of the best coaches in Britain and deserves to be picked for
such an honour”
Robbie Renwick after his commonwealth victory in Delhi
THE COMMITMENT OF A SWIMMER
Swimming is a sport which takes a large amount of time in and out of the pool.
As a part of The Glasgow School of Sport and City of Glasgow Swim Team I
have committed to 14 hours a week of swimming. On top of swimming I spend
an hour and 15 minutes of weights, half an hour of core and half an hour of
circuits.
I started swimming for a club when I was seven. For the last 8 years I have
been training and competing at a good level of Scottish swimming. Although a
lot of people have left and gained other interests, I have kept swimming and
am at a higher level than I’ve ever been before
To get to training or school I have to spend half an hour on a train to get from
Falkirk everyday. Once I get to Glasgow then the transport options vary
depending on where I’m going. Although there is a relatively low chance for
any swimmer to make it to the top of swimming, being able to train at Glasgow
thanks to the School of Sport gives me as a better chance of making it.
At the moment my aims for this year is to make the British Age Group
Championships which is where all the best swimmers in Britain go. Although I
don’t plan on winning if I get there, just getting to this event is a huge
achievement. Over the next few years at the school of Sport, Getting into the
elite squad at Glasgow.
In the long term the obvious goals will be to make the commonwealth
games and then hopefully the Olympics. Of course I’m not the only Scot that
sees this as a dream. Right now Scotland is going through a golden era of
Swimming and it is more difficult now than at any other time in history to make
these major events.
Unfortunately after a poor performance from the swimming team in London
failing to bring home a single gold, Swimming has had a reduction in funding.