Poolside chat- continues here 😁

[Glittertwins]

Did I get this done right??

Yeah even the first heat was pretty quick!!!

Is it top 24 teams nationally?

Something like that but considering the number of changes British Swimming have made over the past 4 years, who knows???

So the IOC have announced 50m for all strokes for LA2028. Could we see Peaty in or will it be the new kids (Morgan and Nowacki). I’m hoping for the two younger ones!

Was just coming to announce that - you beat me to it.

Shame it’ll be ABs only. Para need more opportunities as the programme is limited already to certain events for certain classes.

Nowaki use to swim our county and regionals when he was still on channel islands. Nice boy and extremely talented - so I have a soft spot for routing for him!

Yep, he’s at Millfield now. Felt a bit sorry for him breaking that really long standing record the other year only for Max Morgan to beat it a year later. They’re both very good at the 50 and 100

Yes both incredible talents and it’s great to see Britain have some more breastrokers coming through.

Peaty has announced he’ll contend for another olympics now the 50’s in too so they’ll have someone great to work alongside.

Am I right in thinking both Ab as well as para have world champs in Singapore this year? This is trials for them?

Is there any trials for junior comps?

Im rubbish at keeping up with what Ans are trialling for - I have enough trouble keeping up with the para stuff 🤦🏼‍♀️🫣

I hadn’t seen that, interesting news! I wonder if that will change the approach Aquatics GB and Swim England have to the 50s rather than qualifying through the 100s if they want to develop their 50 swimmers for 3 years time

Yes it’ll be very interesting if see what - if any - changes are made to nationals in future.

I still think AGB want to develop younger swimmers aerobic capacity so we don’t have all swimmers just swimming 50’s and 100’s.

my “guess” which I wouldn't even be as bold to call an educated guess - is that they’ll lower the age that 50’s and 100’s are in the programme but won’t have it across all ages until 16yo.

This is purely based on observation that sprint specialists in the U.K. tend to be older. Peaty is carrying on because of the change - he didn't seem to be considering it when it was 100?!

That sounds a reasonable guess to me, if you separated out the 50s for 16s and 17s that would bring it down a couple of age groups so help develop any potential sprinters there, but still keep the focus away from pure sprints for the younger ones

This will make for some great TV and hopefully make the swimming a more exciting choice over and above other sports for those who don't otherwise watch any sport but make an exception for the Olympics.

I hope AGB don't loosen things too much with regards to younger sprinters. It is already hard enough to get the majority of our swimmers to push themselves beyond a token 200 per meet, or in some cases at the lower development stages, even do one, once!

This will make for some great TV and hopefully make the swimming a more exciting choice over and above other sports for those who don't otherwise watch any sport but make an exception for the Olympics.

I hope AGB don't loosen things too much with regards to younger sprinters. It is already hard enough to get the majority of our swimmers to push themselves beyond a token 200 per meet, or in some cases at the lower development stages, even do one, once!

To be fair though the ones who don’t do longer events are unlikely to make it to the Olympics for any distance. I think it’s fair enough for kids to do sprints if they prefer that - it’s still a lot better for them than sitting in bed playing on their phones. I don’t think we want to put anyone off participating in the sport at grass roots level.

Ultimately it’s up to the coaches to discuss goals and progress with individuals. Most swimmers never get near nationals.

No, those swimmers won't make it to higher levels, let alone the Olympics, but from a point of self-discovery/improvement etc, reaching individual potential, as well as building volume of competition at each level within the sport, it isn't great to have DCs with less incentive to push themselves outside their comfort zone or self-formed box. 'Just 50s' is definitely better than dropping out of the sport entirely (we have a couple of DCs in our club in the top squad who are on this brink, and we are happy for them to do just 50s if it keeps them swimming), but really they should be encouraged to aim for more breadth if at all possible.

No, those swimmers won't make it to higher levels, let alone the Olympics, but from a point of self-discovery/improvement etc, reaching individual potential, as well as building volume of competition at each level within the sport, it isn't great to have DCs with less incentive to push themselves outside their comfort zone or self-formed box. 'Just 50s' is definitely better than dropping out of the sport entirely (we have a couple of DCs in our club in the top squad who are on this brink, and we are happy for them to do just 50s if it keeps them swimming), but really they should be encouraged to aim for more breadth if at all possible.

Looks like your phone is still duplicating your posts 😆 @SkankingWombat!!
But I can agree with you on the distance and development of younger swimmers. Mine would not go near a 200 and would be rapidly conking out around 75-80m. Who’d have thought British Champs would be a possibility??

We’ll have to agree to disagree there Wombat. There is a lot more to swimming than realising potential in my opinion and experience.

Same here.

we had a totally different experience though.

DS was in a small club and had built to 10 hours pool and 1 hr S and C a week. The top squad they had - called county squad which summed it up! They had a few regional swimmers and 1 national champion (over 50m funnily enough!)

He did an odd distance and 400 free. But he struggled for a good number of years to get into level 3 meets and was scratched a lot!

Then Covid happened. He came back to 7.5 hours pool time and there was talk of cutting it down to 6. He moved to a bigger club as he really wanted to swim. Then he got classsified end of 2021 and went to his first nationals (para winter nats which was swam age bands and he was top of his age band).

The next year he made his first counties, then regionals and surprisingly his first British! He was in the 18yo age group that year (turned 18 a few weeks after British summers!)

Thats why I’m a real advocate for not writing them off at 9/10/11 years old and seeing who comes through. Ds was 12 when he joined his club!

obviously having the classification made a difference but so did moving to a bigger club and upping his training - a LOT!

So it can be done from a later age without hours upon hours of swimming before puberty.

Hence why keeping swimmers swimming rather than making them feel getting to nationals matters is so important to me. There could always be that swimmer who comes through when you least expect it.

The benefits of swimming are huge. Dd1 is 16 and it given her everything - lovely friends, confidence, fitness, experience of officiating and volunteer coaching. She’s about to become a lifeguard and then will do swim teaching to earn money in 6th form and uni. And she loves it.

Whether you swim distance events in the end is a minor minor detail.

Yes the friendships are so special.

Ds squad is made up of National 1 and 2. They range from 12 up to 20yo.

the younger ones look up to the older ones and this helps the older ones gain leadership skills and communication skills as well as gives the younger ones confidence.

I think ds has landed on his feet with a really great bunch of teammates. They are all nuts 😂

I think there are junior international teams to qualify for too - European Juniors, World Juniors.

There’s also European U23 and World University Games this summer.

That’s it for DS - last training session this
morning before we head to London on Monday. They others have a 1 hr session Monday before travel but as his arms get a workout in his wheelchair he’s been let off and will swim in the afternoon when we get there!

He's has me in hysterics this week. He was “name checked” in the AGB podcast for his 400 free. Then mentioned in the 100 and today they had a graphic of top seeds for 50m free and his picture made it!!! Think he feels like he’s “arrived”!

Let’s hope the swimming lives up to expectation 🫣🤣

Massive good luck and congratulations for making the graphic 👏

Good luck Not Mini Weird and yes definitely sounds like he has arrived.

On the other hand my DS has departed and hung up his goggles. Apparently easy decision for him but it's been hard on me as that's a whole lifestyle change and a whole bunch of people Im not sure I'll see again or at least it will be a lot harder to arrange meet ups etc.

BUT so far today instead of being at a gala he has done Park Run and is now in the garden helping DH build a BBQ it's definitely different but I've got to say not necessarily worse.