Uncategorized

Olympic champions Adam Peaty and Tom Daley have been shortlisted for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

They are among six contenders in the running for the accolade with the winner due to be announced on Sunday 19 December.

Peaty became the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title when he triumphed in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke at the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Games.

Five years after his success in Rio, Peaty clocked his fifth fastest time ever to win in 57.37 seconds – 0.63 ahead of his nearest rival.

The 26-year-old returned from Japan with a total of three medals after also winning a gold and a silver in two relays.

He was part of the record-breaking mixed medley team alongside Kathleen Dawson, James Guy and Anna Hopkin who picked up Team GB’s fourth swimming gold of the Games in a new world best time of 3:37.58.

Read more 

Swim England is strongly encouraging athletes, coaches, teachers, volunteers and spectators to wear face coverings where possible following the announcement of additional Covid restrictions by the Government.

The Government’s ‘Plan B’ announcement was made around face coverings, working from home and Covid passports for large events in a bid to slow down the spread of the Omicron strain of coronavirus.

Sporting events can continue and the Swim England Water Polo National Age Group Championships at Ponds Forge on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 December is still scheduled to go ahead as planned.

Read whole story

A group of 27 ‘promising and talented’ athletes, including 3 from our region, have been selected for the Swim England Performance Squad for the 2021-22 season.

The swimmers from the South East selected for the squad are:

• Imogen Clark (Winchester Penguins)
• Lewis Burrus (Winchester Penguins)
• Alicia Wilson (Guildford Swimming Club)

Despite the challenges of the last 18 months, these 10 men and 17 women have been selected as a result of their performances in both national and international competitions over the last year.

They have also shown considerable potential ahead of what is bound to be an exciting three-year cycle to the next Olympic Games in Paris, which includes the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year.

Read more

Swim England has released guidance on the practice of weighing athletes within aquatic sports.

The recommendation from the national governing body is that individuals under the age of 18 should not be weighed unless they are on a nationally supported pathway.

This guidance is applicable to athletes within all aquatic disciplines including swimming, para-swimming, water polo, artistic swimming and diving.

It is designed to prevent potential areas of concern, such as psychological distress, which may occur as a result of athletes being tested and monitored in this way.

Read the full story.

Hampshire scored 1163.5 while Yorkshire scored 1208 lints and winners Warwickshire topped then table with 1236 points.

Read more 

Some important changes have been made to the upcoming National Winter Championships which is shaping up to be a busy weekend of racing in Sheffield.

Due to a large number of entries, racing will be split across two short course pools for the heats sessions with men in one pool and women in the other.

An updated version of the competition schedule will be published after entries close on 25 November at midday, after which time no late entries will be accepted.

The updated competition schedule, once published, will be accessible here.

Read more

A number of ‘exciting clashes’ will take place at the U16s Girls’ Inter-Regional Championships at the beginning of next month.

One week after the U16 boys’ championships, 10 girls teams will compete at the Walsall Gala Baths on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December.

North West Thunder were the last winners of the U16 Girls Inter-Regional Championships back in July 2019.

Read more

Dozens of youngsters are set to take part in the first water polo Inter-Regional Championships in almost two years later this month.

Ten teams will be in action at the Walsall Gala Baths in the U16s boys’ competition on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 November.

London, West Midlands, South West Sharks, North West Tigers and South East are all competing in Division One.

East, Wales, North East Steelers, East Midlands and Scotland Saltires make up the Division Two teams.

Read more

Olympic and Paralympic heroes are being shortlisted for major awards after having an incredibly successful summer at the Tokyo Games.

Alice Dearing, Ellie Simmonds, Tom Daley and Jane Figueiredo have been nominated for honours in the Women’s Sports Alliance Awards 2021.

Dearing, who this year became the first black woman to represent Team GB at an Olympic Games, has been named as a finalist for the Inspiration of the Year award – sharing company with American gymnast Simone Biles.

Speaking on her nomination, Dearing said: “I am so honoured and touched to be nominated for the WSA’s ‘Inspiration of the Year’ Award.

“To have my work recognised on this scale means a great deal and I am really hoping that people will look at swimming and sport as a whole and see the opportunities and experiences which are theirs for the taking.”

Five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds is up for the Para-athlete of the Year award and has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to British sport.

Additionally, athlete-coach team Tom Daley and Jane Figuerido have been named in the Male Ally of the Year award and Coach of the Year award, respectively.

Winners for the Women’s Sports Alliance Awards 2021 will be revealed on 15 December.

To cast a vote, click here.

Three swimming coaches have been named as finalists in the prestigious UK Coaching Awards 2021 after what has been a ‘testing year’ for our sports.

Josh Atkins from Wycombe District Swimming Club and Matthew Puddy from Millfield School have been shortlisted for the Talent Development Coach of the Year award.

Kieran Trimmer, also of Wycombe District Swimming Club has been named as one of three finalists for the Young Coach of the Year award.

There are six categories in total with the winners being revealed during an in-person event which is to be held in Leeds on 7 December.

Hundreds of nominations have been narrowed down to a shortlist of three coaches per category, recognising their incredible work throughout the last year.

Read more

Swim England has engaged with ‘more swimmers than ever before’ during what has been described as a ‘hugely successful’ National Development Camp.

The camp took place from October 30 – 31 and saw 932 athletes taking part in online engagement days which focused on their holistic development both in and outside of the pool.

The near-thousand 13-14-year-olds were part of workshops on topics such as nutrition, mental wellbeing, turns and stroke efficiency and knowledge of events.

A variety of delivery methods were used to ensure the camp was as interactive as possible, with a group of 45 coaches delivering bespoke teaching to the athletes.

Read more