The 2018 GO GOLD Podium Athletes aim to blog about their competitions and training sessions at least once a month to keep LRS updated on their progress.
Clicking on an athlete will also give you access to their individual profile and updates.
On the weekend just passed (13/14th Oct) I raced for Braunstone swimming club, in the Arena League competition. I raced in the 200IM, 100FLY, 100BACK and the relays, I won all of my individual events and it was nice to race for my home team again.
My next competition is this weekend (20th/21st Oct) in Manchester. I will be competing in the 50m, 100m, 200m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke. I haven't raced the 200m Butterfly in 5 years so that could be interesting!! But looking forward to some hard racing.
I have completed the first six weeks of training into the new season and it's going really well so far, lots of progress in the gym and pool already. There has been a big focus on getting strong outside of the pool so I have been doing lots of circuits and spinning sessions. Most importantly keeping injury free! working really hard to get my fitness levels up and getting into good shape for the first meet of the season!
I just want to thank GoGold for supporting me this season, its been a tough year mentally and physically! Without them, some of the races I have competed in wouldn't have been possible without their help. What GoGold do for their athletes is amazing and I really do appreciate everything that they have done for me so far! Lets have a good rest of the season!
Being back at uni is difficult with having to balance training while getting ready for the final race of the season in Dubai on November 16th, training is going how I'm wanting it too, at the beginning of the month I had a little injury scare but luckily it was nothing! Ive started to mix my training up so I can become stronger and it seems to be paying off!!
Training is going well, and I've made some good progress in my routines. I had a good training session with the East Midlands Squad at Loughborough university, and was happy to be selected to compete as part of the East Midlands Team at the Rushmoor Rosebowl 🌹 in a few weeks time. Thank you for my second funding cheque, it has been put to good use already as I have ordered some new handguards 😊 Yesterday I competed at the Pink ladies invitational in Durham not all my routines went to plan, but I came away with Gold on beam, silver on floor and bronze all around 😊🥇🥈🥉
This month there is fitness testing at the college on the 12th of October, so we can have Strength and Conditioning programmes personalised to make performances on the pitch better. I am really going to push myself in the testing so I can improve on and off the field!
The first race of the season was the National Road Relays on Saturday at Sutton Park Birmingham. I ran for my club Aldershot, Farnham & District on the 3rd leg of the senior women's race. I took over the leg in 2nd place but took the lead and built a sizeable gap before handing over to Louise for the anchor leg. She increased the lead and we won the team gold.
I was a bit disappointed with my time but it was a reasonable outing for my first race of the season and I was the quickest person on my leg and 7th quickest overall.
So it's about a month into the new season and it's been going really well. It's been great getting back into training and re-focusing for the new season.
In the past few weeks we have been focusing on the 'land-based' work such as lifting weights in the gym and doing a number of circuits whilst we build up the swim sessions throughout the weeks.
Through to December it is the short course season and we have racing in the run up to Short Course Winter Nationals in December
My week at summer Nationals was very successful as I won a Silver medal in the 50m freestyle in 25.84. I then went onto compete in the 100 freestyle where I won Gold in a time of 55.60, which I was pleased about but was hoping to go faster. In the final event I raced it was the 50 backstroke when I won gold again in a time of 29.28.
In the 50m freestyle and backstroke I was only just off my PB's but my 100 freestyle was just a small PB.
Well the summer season is over; it was one that I won't forget! A change in focus, mental & physical challenges, success and plenty of crashes. Racing older age groups at regionals, racing at the Euro Champs, the British Champs (the one that we don't mention) massively improving my national ranking and qualifying to race a next year's World Championships.
I'd like to thanks all the people that have supported and guided me this year, there's way too many to mention, here's just a few: Mom, Dad, Poppy and Grandma, Derby BMX Coaches, Matt at Bunneys, the guys at Crucial, Meybo24Severn, The Fitness Bank Wigston, all the other riders and of course LRS. I could not do it without you!!
Winter training has begun, let's see what new heights next year will bring.
I am proud to announce that I have been nominated onto the TASS squad programme for 2018/2019 I am thankful to Sportsaid who provided funding for my future development and UKA who believe in me. I am looking forward to meet the TASS team at Loughborough University on Thursday .
I have started winter training with my coach Femi 3x times a week and we had a set for this year
A few weeks ago I attended the HSBC uk National bmx series at my home track at Leicester huncote hornets but day one didn't go the way I wanted to go as I crashed in my second moto and ended up in A&E with a possible hairline fracture. But I powered through and raced the next day and got 7th in the b final and I finished 23rd overall. Unfortunately still racing the same plate but it's not going to stop me improving myself next year.
I'm very pleased to have been selected for the performance squad at Loughborough with Ian Hulmes this season. It's a great opportunity to be training with such an array of top level coaching and staff, along with some of the fastest swimmers in the country. Training has been hard and I'm working on lots of new things, so hopefully there will be some big pb's this year! I am also honored to have also made the BUCS team for the first round in this season and i can't wait to compete again. First meet is the Manchester International meet coming up in a couple of weeks. Again thank you to go gold for their continued funding, this will certainly help kitting me out for this season!
So happy with the news today that I have been selected onto the Performance Squad for this next season. I am looking forward to meeting everyone towards the end of October at Loughborough University for our first training camp.
http://www.swimming.org/sport/performance-squad/
GO GOLD Athlete
A busy month coming up Competing in Cardiff and Slovenia
3rd Oct, 2018
The new competitive year starts this month with the Welsh Junior open in Cardiff - As the current No1 junior in the u55kg group it will be interesting to start in a new weight group.
At the end of the month I will be competing and then training in Koper Slovenia with the England Judo Squad, this will be my last European Cadet Cup before I change age groups.
After competing in Slovenia there is a training camp which gives me the chance to train with Europe's best Judoka.
As these are self funded a big Thankyou to LRS sport for your help/sponsorship it is most appreciated.
Back to University means back to full time training, I am now preparing for my final evaluation of the year this Saturday which decides the team for the coming season starting on mid October. Having finished 4th at the last testing I am in good spirits and have some confidence going forward into this weekend.
I am now back in training after the summer break. The swimming squad have been on team building exercises and this was outdoor activities at Sheffield Cable Ski and Water Park. My next competition is the Manchester International Short Course Swimming Meet on 20 and 21 October 2018, this is the first meet of the season.
Many thanks to all at Leicestershire and Rutland Go Gold for your support and the second half of my funding. I will be using the funding to enter meets to race qualifying times for the short course Winter Nationals.
As I want to improve my power I have started to do more in the gym. Doing exercises like weighted squats will hopefully improve my overall jumping.
The new season starts this week and the first defense of the BUCs and National League (BWPL) titles. First match is in Northumberland on Wednesday
More Information: bwpl.org
Just back from the EU nations competing in the club tournament for men. Finished as runners up, a great result for the first time we have played in an international club event.
First BWPL National League Weekend with Division 3 and 4 playing. Got my whites out to referee. Good weekends polo in Ponds Forge
More Information: bwpl.org
