Poolside chat- continues here 😁

[Glittertwins]

Did I get this done right??

He’s just come out of his review. No change to classification (provisionally as have to watch in competition before it’s confirmed).

But they added assistance on blocks and attempt to touch 2 handed for breast and fly as exemptions.

was there any risk of losing his classification?

Wouldn’t have thought so as he’s got worse (it’s degenerative) and he’s always been S9 so it would have been unusual to skip S10 to not eligible but it’s always nerve wracking to do! You are in the hands of the classifiers!

Everything crossed that it works out for him

It’ll be much easier for him now someone can hold him on the blocks - did you notice how unsteady he is at British champs? He has no feeling in the foot he puts on back and not enough balance to basically stand on one leg as his left side is weaker than the right.

How he’s not fallen off I’ll never know 🫣😂

I never watch the starts (obviously do when I am the starter!) so I wouldn’t have noticed until they were in the water!

I try and avoid the starts - I feel my HR raising with every wobble 👀😂

I don’t watch starts either, I think it’s a thing.

Dont mean to minimise the extra para stress 🫣

Thats another level.

I did t think you were judging. I’m not sure para or AB is any more or less stressful as a parent!

It’s a tough sport with fine margins it’s hard not to get nervous for our young people.

I love watching DS swim and couldn’t care less how well the swim goes with regards to my own feelings - but my gos o get nervous for him because I know
how much he wants it!!!!

As an aside DS now that ds has the assist I spent Friday evening poolside supporting dive practice. I never realised how much his muscles spasm just in the position.

Im even more impressed he’s only ever wobbled and not fallen 🫣🤦🏼‍♀️😂

His 50m might improve now that he can be held steady on the block.

Hope so. His top half still wobbles and his leg still spasms like mad but his dive is better being held it seems because he doesn’t need to focus on not falling in and can focus on getting his hands in the right place and a good dive.

It’s never going to be perfect because he puts his left foot on the back and he has no feeling in it! I’m hoping it’ll improve though as he’s steady enough to practice getting the movements into muscle memory.

He needs to get down under 26 seconds - he’s slowly working his way there 😂

Do you think he could switch his feet over now he’s got the stabilising aspect sorted now?

I’m not sure but it’s worth looking in to. However standing on a foot he can’t feel is probably not any better but may get him a better push off. And yes being held may mean he has the balance to stand on it.

He might be open to trying it then?

He was up for trying it as suggested it to him after reading your comment. We’ve just tried at home. It did not go well!!!

Hes going to work on it annd see if he can train his brain and we’ll try again next weekend. He has a L3 meet so he said he could try it with a stroke he’s not practicing for British in (50 fly!) as it doesn’t matter if it goes horribly wrong 😂

Might take a while for muscle memory but can’t hurt to try it out in a less important meet

Everything takes time for his muscle memory anyway. But because he’s weaker on left side with severed nerve endings to his left foot and his left reflexes activate his right it will be one of those things where he may not physically be able to get it into his muscle memory.

its worthwhile keeping on trying though as he shouldn’t be able to walk and he can for periods of time and I really believe swimming is a big part of that. He’s still deteriorating but more slowly physically than he should be with the amount of neurological decline he’s had.

The kid never ceases to surprise me 😂

Considering what’s he’s achieved already, he might just do it!

Anyone watched Panorama yet?

I caught the interview on Womens Hour (first 10 minutes or so), this morning.Fair credit to the journalist who has been working on this for may years:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002cdl6

No, it’s fairly predictable though. I doubt I’ll bother tbh, that kind of thing is well above our level of commitment and ability. It’s like a different world.

A lot of it is old stuff that, although should not ever have happened, does appear to have been cleaned up. I was surprised about RWS though and another school not being mentioned at all (lost all accreditation and has now resurfaced under a slightly different name).

Our neighbouring club is apparently difficult about swimmers taking any time off over exams. Everyone who has ever left us to move there has always given up or moved back.

The biggest issue imo is the elitist attitudes in swimming and the associated perceptions of people outside. I’ve been asked loads of times when I say they swim if they are going to get to the Olympics 🙄. People then see it as a ‘waste of time’ if you aren’t the very best.

Even our club the head coach is obsessed with people getting to nationals. It seems to be some kind of weird ego-feed to get pictured in front of the board with a couple of swimmers each year.