I'm training hard as I work towards the London 2012 Olympic Games
Earlier in the year we went to the German Open. This was our first international event of 2011, and we came back with a bronze medal in the combination team, which was a good boost for us.
We are currently training for around 42 hours a week, and have really made a step up in our regime. Jenna Randall and Olivia Allison have attended a training camp with Spain - ranked second in the world - and they brought back some great ideas and ways of increasing our intensity.
There is now just a week to go until the European
Cup in Sheffield. This is an excellent
competition for us to experience the home crowd and will give us a good
idea of what the London 2012 Olympic Games will feel like.
The
final week before the competition involves simulations, which are useful
for us to prepare and be mentally
ready. These include swimming our routines with the same stresses,
wearing the competition suits and warming up as we would at the
competition.
We were incredibly excited about the announcement that Great Britain would be allowed to swim at the London 2012 Games. However, this does not mean that we will all be able to compete at the Games. We currently have a squad of 11 members and trials this year and next year will decide the nine athletes who actually get to go to London.
Personally I have had a phenomenal year, with being British solo champion last year and gaining my Commonwealth Games bronze medal in India last October in the solo event. I was also awarded the British Synchronised Swimmer of the year at the British Gas Championships, as well as Scottish Synchro Swimmer of the year. It really was an amazing surprise and this is a year that I will never forget.
My goal now is working towards the London 2012 Olympics, with the World Championships in Shanghai this year as our largest competition before the Games.
I now look forward to seeing as many of
you as possible supporting us in Sheffield. The
dates are 20-22 May, and we would like lots of
cheering please!
Find out more about Synchronised Swimming at London 2012.
