olympic trials - ones to watch
This year's British championships and Olympic selection trials are the most anticipated swimming competition in the UK since the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The prizes are almost as important as the country's top swimmers gun for those precious places on the plane to Athens in August of this year. Of course there are those established internationals such as James Gibson, Katy Sexton, Ian Edmond, Mark Foster et al, but looking beyond them, who will make the team? Well team predictions are notoriously difficult, so instead we pick out a number of other swimmers to keep your eyes on at the trials, as they shoot for their dream of an Olympic place.
Melanie Marshall has been around on the international stage for a while now but it's only over the past winter that she has really made people stand up and take notice. There was significant promise in the lead up to last year's world championships as the Loughborough lady posted her first ever time under 2 minutes for the 100m freestyle, but it was in the European Short Course championships when she took the British record and her debut international title again in the 200m freestyle that sparked off her dramatic rise to prominence. Since then she has recorded a short course British record over 400m freestyle and, most importantly smashed the long course British record of 1:58.86 for the 200m freestyle, a time which currently heads the world rankings. Since all of those swims have come unrested we should expect some seriously fast swimming from Melanie at the trials.
Readers of Swimming will be already familiar with the name Matthew Edwards as one of the rising stars of Britain's butterfly scene, having had a four page spread devoted to him in the February issue. That in itself is a measure of the meteoric rise of the youngster from Kings Lynn, who is highly rated by the British swimming establishment.
Having come through the world class potential squad ranks over the past two years, an encouraging performance at last year's European Junior Championships was followed by a senior international debut in Dublin at the European Short Course Championships. Since that meet, Edwards has been training at Loughborough University and the change to long course training has apparently been having remarkable effects. Expect a first sub 2 minute swim in the 200m butterfly and, with James HIckman now concentrating on the 100m event, probably a second place behind Steve Parry, but the Olympic qualifying time might just prove a step too far.
Dublin was something of a watershed for Durham's Joanne Jackson's, as she stepped out of the shadow of her older sister Nicola and most impressively took her first international title on her international debut. It was a huge personal best that took her into the final and having secured her lane she swam her dream race to take an early lead and hang on for gold, ahead of double Commonwealth Champion Rebecca Cooke. Their match up in the 400 at the trials is sure to be another cracking battle which should go either way. However the Olympic qualifying time should be well within the e capabilities of both ladies so probably both should make it onto the plane, but Jackson is certain to have a first senior national title in her sights and it promises to produce fireworks.
David Davies is another swimmer who needs no introduction to British swimming aficionados. In fact, unless you've spent the last year on Mars it would be hard not to have noticed the impact that the Cardiff teenager has made since he burst onto the international scene at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Since then, having focussed on the distance freestyle events, his 1500m best has moved inexorably towards that magical 15 minute barrier ad has brought with it a European Junior Championship and a fourth place finish at the world championships. Encouragingly, Davies set a new best time of 15:02.34 at the US Spring Nationals whilst still in heavy training. Off the back of that swim maybe the sub- 15 minute swim will come at these championships. Certainly the renewal of his battle with Graeme Smith will be a highlight of the week in Sheffield and they are bound to push each other to some fast times.
2004 should be big year for Rachel Genner, who has promised much over the past two years but has been plagued by outside factors that have affected her performance at critical times. Last year Genner looked set to make a trip to Barcelona when an abdominal injury put paid to her selection hopes, but she bounced back well to put in solid performances at the World Student Games in Korea late in the summer and again in Dublin where she broke the short course 100m British record. Like Melanie Marshall though, it has been over the past winter that she has underlined her credentials, posting a world class time of 1:08.86 for the 100m breaststroke, again racing untapered. That swim certainly puts her in pole position for the sprint events at these championships, but there's a big queue behind her, most notably Kate Haywood, Grace Callahagn and Stacey Tadd, the three rising junior stars. Genner should have enough to take the honours, but the racing could be explosive.
In the 100m butterfly Stirling's Todd Cooper has reportedly been training and racing very well over the winter, but will probably have to break the British record to ensure his place. He'll also have to get past Hickman and Edward's training partner Matt Bowe who is also looking set for some fast fly in both the 100 and 200... James Gibson is of course a favourite to take a team place over 100m breaststroke, but he could pull off a few surprises over 200m as well. Also keep an eye open for North Ayrshire's Mark Branch; these Olympics might be a shade too early for the European Youth Olympics silver medallist, but he could get in amongst the established names... Another swimmer who is probably too young for these games but who is showing huge potential is Liz Simmonds of Lincoln Vulcans. At just 13 she has posted some very impressive short course times in the backstroke events this winter and could easily be amongst the finalists in those events... In the men's backstroke Liam Tancock, a European Junior Champion last year should now challenge having joined the Loughborough programme... The ladies' medley events are relatively weak at present, but look for emerging Welsh talent Mackenzie Howe, who is well in the frame to take out the 200m title, but will need a big drop to make the qualifying standard... As far as relay spots go, Julia Beckett and Claire Windeatt could both be new 100 or 200 relay chances to challenge the established order, while the ever improving Francesca Halsall from Liverpool, still only 13, recently posted a sub-56 second short course time for the 100m event and is a outside shot.