In the leadup to the 2012 British Trials that are now only four days away, there is going to be a lot of focus on the huge international field that will be in attendance.
But there's a reason that they're being stuck in their own evening finals. That's because this is still a British Olympic Trials qualifying meet. There are Olympic qualifying spots, for a Games in front of a home crowd none-the-less, up in the air. As the Brits become more and more excited about the sport of swimming, the big names are well known. But here's a rundown of some good darkhorses to make the British Olympic team.
Molly Renshaw (1996) – Derventio Excel – 200m Breaststroke
In 2011 Molly appeared as one of Britain’s future hopes by smashing her personal best in the 200m breaststroke at the British Gas national championships in March. Her time of 2.30.45 was a National age group record (Breaking Siobhan O’Connor’s 2.30.94s from the previous year). She then further lowered her NAGR to 2.27.67 in finishing 2nd to Stacey Tadd at Britain’s “second chance national’s” in June and since that she has swum 2.28s eight times (twice already in 2012 in only two outings).
Matthew Johnson (1995) – City Of Sheffield – 400IM, 200 fly and 1500 Free
Johnson has long been sighted as a future swimming superstar in Britain after cleaning up between 8-11 gold medals at National age group meets. In 2011 John swam a time of 4.18.54 at the World Juniors to finish 5th in the final (He was however the youngest in the field). His 1500m personal best dates back to 2010 when he was just 14 years old and clocked a time of 15.36.11s and after setting a new 800m personal best in 2011 he will be expecting to drop a significant amount of time in this event at Olympic trials.
Siobhan Marie O’Connor (1995) – Bath University – 200/400IM & 100/200 Breaststroke
Siobhan will have her best opportunity to qualify for her first Olympic games on days 3/4 of trials when she swims the 200IM. Having smashed Elizabeth Simmonds NAGR (2.14.44) in 2011 with a time of 2.13.26 set in Shanghai O’Connor cemented herself as possibly Britain’s only 200IM’er capable of challenging Hannah Miley at Olympic trials. She has started 2012 with a bang setting a new personal best in the 50m butterfly (27.91) as well as swimming consistently 3 seconds faster in all her events compared to the same time of year in 2011.
Ieuan Lloyd (1993) – City Of Cardiff – 200/400 Free
Recently at the 2012 Flanders swim meet in Belgium Lloyd poster a big personal best in the 400m freestyle (3.51.40) as well as posting his second fastest 200m freestyle ever (1.49.51). Lloyds fast early season swims imply that he is going to throw down some very fast times come British trials as he is generally a much slower early season swimmer and benefits greatly from taper. Lloyd was also European Junior champion on the 200IM last year but I doubt Goddard & Roebuck are catchable for him.
Amelia Maughan (1996) – Bath University – 100/200/400 Freestyle
There are not many 1996 born swimmers whose personal best times date back to 2010, Maughan is sadly not a unique case in British sport on the whole where young sporting prodigies succumb to the pressures of British media and public expectation. However, Maughan seems to have taken a new approach to her swimming in 2012 moving up from a sprinter to Pellegrini-esque speed based middle distance freestyler. Her long ranging stroke and excellent stroke economy suggested a step up in distance would suit her and in her first outing over the 400 free since deciding to transfer over Maughan clocked 4.20.35s, by no means a good time on the domestic stage but Maughan has the ingredients of a superb freestyler in the speed she possesses (56.09 100 free PB from when she was just 14 years old).
Craig Benson (1994) – Warrender Baths Club – 100/200 Breaststroke
In 2011 Benson struck gold in the 100m Breaststroke at the World Junior swimming championships in Peru, winning in a time of 1.01.34s. That time left him ranked 4th in Britain at the end of 2011 having chopped over 3 seconds of his personal best in one season. In his only 100 breast outing of 2012 Benson stopped the clock at a superb early season time 1.01.73 which leaves him ranked 3rd in Britain (Sliwinski 1.00.75 and Jamieson 1.01.39) and 13th in the world.
Jessica Dickons (1990) – Bath University – 200 Butterfly
Having endured a few years where her times hit a plateau in 2011 Jessica Dickons burst back into our sight when she won the 200m fly at the 2011 Universiade in Shenzhen ahead of Hye Ra Choi from Korea. Since then Jess has gone from strength to strength with her best time (2.07.68) coming in her defeat of Mireia Belmonte at the Dutch open in December and a bronze medal at the European SC champs in Szczecin. (She also has beaten Ellen Gandy in Victoria titles).
Robert Bale (1990) – Carnforth – 100/200 Freestyle
Since winning both the 200m and 400m freestyle at the 2010 British national swimming championships both in personal best times (1.47.86 and 3.51.40) Bale has not progressed as expected and in 2011 he failed to break 1.50 in the 200 free. However, Bale recently swam 1.51.36 at the Bucs and then less than a week into his taper dropped a full second when he swam 1.50 in a lone time trial during training. The aforementioned times might not seem to be good times at any stage of the year on the surface but when you note that at the 2010 European swimming championships (Bale’s un-rested meet) he only managed to swim 1.52.36! Furthermore every time Bale has swam below 1.50 for the 200 freestyle has been as rested meets (Commonwealths, Nationals etc.). Renwick and Davenport will need to look out for Bale.