Loughborough International 19.05.13

I ran in the guest 800m race at the Loughborough international last Sunday. It was a great event to be involved in and was brilliant experience for the future. I finished 6th in a strung out field, and got a slower time than I wanted! However as the youngest competitor in my race I've tried to see the positives!

22 hours ago

NQT @ Northampton Open Meet

I had a great weekend at the Corby International Pool with friends from City Of Leicester squad.

Although I already had my National Qualifying Time in 200m Backstroke short course - I really wanted it in a long course pool.

I swam 2.29.42 (a PB and NQT) in the heats winning a Gold Medal in the 13 year age group. I was also the 2nd fastest 13/14 year old qualifying through to the finals. I then swam 2.29.37, another PB and faster NQT in the final! This was a great 2 second PB for me since March - I was very pleased.

2 days ago

ESSA INVITATION

I am very pleased to have received an invitation to represent East Midlands in the prestigious Engligh Schools National Swimming Championships in June at the Liverpool Aquatics Centre.

I will be swimming 100m and 200m backstroke for the Junior team.

2 days ago

Northampton meet

I competed at the weekend in the Northampton meet at Corby and I got personal best times in all my races. I made the final in 200IM and came 3rd, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke and came 2nd and in the 400IM I came 2nd. Looking forward to the Midlands in a couple of weeks.

2 days ago

FINAL FOURS WEEKEND

here is where we prepare for final fours weekend, where we take on the number one team in the league, sheffield hatters

2 days ago

Signing for America

after all the hard work i have put in over the past couple of years and the help from GO GOLD, i have achieved a full athletic scholarship at Edinboro university of Pennsylvania,

2 days ago

GB Paralympic Development Programme

On the 9th to the 12th of May I attended my first ever GB paralympic development camp, in Manchester. On the Friday we went on a 3 hour road ride around Lancaster, on Saturday morning we had a 1 and a half hour ride around Darley Moor (not the race circuit) and in the afternoon we had a 3 hour track session. On Sunday morning we had a 2 hour track session. Although it was very tiring I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one in the summer.

3 days ago

Season opener

I competed in my first competition of the outdoor season on Saturday. The fixture was the Midlands League Division 1 match at Wolverhampton. Conditions weren't great, but I managed to string together a decent series of jumps and won the competition with a height of 4.40m (just below my personal best).

I've now got competitions coming thick and fast, County Championships this weekend followed by a match at Loughborough University next Wednesday where I've been selected for the East Midlands team.

3 days ago

First race of the season

My first track race of the season was a 1500 at Milton Keynes and i was hoping for around 4 minutes 28 seconds which would be 3 seconds under my PB. However I had a great race and finished in 4 minutes 20 seconds which puts me 13th on the power of 10 on one of my weakest distances. I'm looking forward to my first 3000 of the season next Wednesday.

4 days ago

200 im northampton meet

This afternoon I swam the 200 im as my last event of this meet. I have already achieved my national short course in this event but wanted to get it long course. In the heat I swam a 2.32.39 and was 4th fastest qualifier for the final and just swam a tiny bit slower with 2.32.40 unfortunately this wasn't my national but my last chance to achieve this is at regional champs in june in a few weeks time.

5 days ago

U15 finals

Yesterday we competed in the finals for the U15 competition. Unfortunately this weekend was not as successful as the last. Despite playing extremely well against the biggest team in the country (Wessex), we unfortunately lost. We were straight on for the next game, and seemed to lose all motivation, and again lost this game. This sadly put us into 5th/6th playoffs, were we came up against the team we beat in the finals the week before. Despite putting up a strong fight and winning the first set, we seemed to lose any motivation we had, and lost the game 2-1.

5 days ago

U15 competition

Last weekend, my team and i took part in the divisional round of the U15 competition. We played 4 games in total. Our first 2 games were in the pool round, and we won them easily. Then into the semi finals, we again played some very strong volleyball and won this game with ease. The finals were next, were we came up against a team that we had previously lost too. We were determined to win, and played the best volleyball that we ever have. We came out on top and became the strongest team in central England.

5 days ago

2nd day of northampton open meet

Just swam 100 butterfly in the heat I did 1.10.15 and in the final I finished 4th in a time of 1.10.17. I got a bronze medal in my age group. This afternoon ive got 200 im which I have my national In short course but would like it long course.

5 days ago

northamps open meet

Today swam at Northampton open meet and swam 200 fly this morning just missed my national in the heat but was fastest qualifier for the final and then smashed my national! Overall got 1st in age group and silver in under 14 age group. This afternoon did 400 free not that good but got 1 second pb so not too bad. Looking forward to 200 im and 100 fly tomorrow.

6 days ago

Warwickshire league winners!

Playing for Coventry men's team, we have just won the Warwickshire league final against boldmere! It was a great game. 6-6 at full time, resulting in an extra 2 quarters. I picked up a goal, and we narrowly beat them in the end 8-7. A tense game, but a great outcome. Another medal under the belt!

16th May, 2013

Second place in ASA national clubs

Playing for Solihull born 97 and later junior squad, we have placed second in the ASA national clubs competition held in Manchester. It was a 2 day tournament over the weekend, in which we beat lancaster in the semi-finals 20-8. But unfortuantely we lost to Manchester In the final. I was third top goal scorer of the team, with a total of 25 goals in the tournament. It was a great competition, and a successful ending.

16th May, 2013

going full time

Great news, next year I have been selected to go on the England squash academy programme, this allows me to travel a lot more and play more tournaments. it also gives me free usage of EIS pysio, strength & conditioning, coaching etc. this support will be a big bonus to my training and should progress my level of squash massively!

I'm going to Germany in July to play the German open for the first time. This should be a great experience for me!

15th May, 2013

Simon Herbert wins Northants Open

I won the Northants Junior Open on Sunday. It wasn't easy I was 2 down in the semi's against a boy I have never beaten, I listened to my dad and he told me what to try and to stay focussed and I won. In the final I was playing a boy who I haven't beaten for nearly a year. I went on strong and won the first and second, but he came back in the third but then in the fourth I played very well and took an early lead which I held on to and won.

13th May, 2013

England call up

Training is now showing a huge effect on my performances because I will be off to Holland later on in June to compete for England! I have already competed for England but not on a bigger scale as this race will be. Doing this race has come at a price for me because it means I will have to miss out on the U20's championships but I had to make a sacrifice. Out of the 2 races holland was the better option for me as it provides a better opportunity to get my name put there on a national stage!

13th May, 2013

11.05.13: First 800m Race of the Season

Yesterday I ran my first proper 800m race of the year at the BMC meeting held at Corby. I ran a time of 2.09.67, which is about a second outside my pb- so I was very happy with that as my first race!! I was hoping for a sub 2.10 and managed to do so in the breezy conditions.
At the minute this ranks me first in UK u17 rankings!! Looking forward to my race next weekend at the Loughborough International :)

12th May, 2013

Recently.......

Midlands has been a mixed bag the past month with a dominant win over London Broncos at 50 odd to 12 and a disappointing, yet deserved loss to Cumbria. As these games were really close together our training has been completely game based, giving us a idea of what needs to be improved to win games rather than just general training. At the moment exams have started to kick in and I'm trying to revise, trying being the word.

11th May, 2013

Thank you!

Thank you for my cheque. I bought some compressions socks which cost £38 a pair!!

I received a letter from UKA because I'm being considered for selection for the World Youths, Ukraine in July. I got the qualifying time last year but being injured means it may be a race against time to make sure i get the time again before selection is made. I really want to go. I raced on Wednesday, it was my first track race in just under a year and it didn't go well. I was very disappointed but aim to improve - and quickly! :)

11th May, 2013

International Childrens Games, Canada

I have been chosen this year, along with a squad of swimmers, to represent Leicester in the International Children's games in Canada in August. I am really looking forward to this challenge and meeting other athletes from cities all over the world.

11th May, 2013