Racing lays foundation for swimming’s 2016 Olympic ambition

“The World Championship results are history now - we have to move forward and continue towards the next challenge ahead to make sure we are at our very best next summer.” Bill Furniss, Head Coach British Swimming

British Swimming may have earned unparalleled success at this year’s World Championships but for Head Coach Bill Furniss the results are now simply a part of history as the nation’s elite continue to work towards the goal of the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The British team emerged from the World Championships in Kazan with renewed pride and reinforced belief following a finest ever performance borne out of a considerable shift in culture.

The team won a record number of world championship medals with nine – a number which also featured no fewer than 12 gold medallists across the events – to place fourth on the medals table.

“We have achieved great things in 2015 but we’re not taking anything for granted,” said Furniss. “The World Championship results are history now - we have to move forward and continue towards the next challenge ahead to make sure we are at our very best next summer.”

Athletes are currently undergoing a hard block of work to lay the foundations on which they can build their performances for 2016 and, over the next two months, they will combine this with race preparation and process practice across a number of events.

“It’s an important year ahead with an Olympics as the focus so this period of preparation is vital in ensuring the athlete prepares well and prepares thoroughly. Collectively as a group we need to go into 2016 doing everything a little better than we did this year,” said Furniss.

“The events over the next two months are the first batch of competitions of the Olympic year and provide a first outing for our athletes. It’s not something they will be fully focused on but these events allow us to familiarise ourselves with and practice once again the processes we need to make sure we’re ready for next summer.”

The winter events begin next week when 22 athletes across both Podium and Podium Potential programmes travel to the FINA World Cups in Doha (2-3 Nov) and Dubai (6-7 Nov).

A further squad of 12 athletes will compete at the LEN European Short Course Championships in Israel (2-6 Dec) and a small group of seven will take part in this year’s U.S. edition of the Duel in the Pool which takes part in Indianapolis (11-12 Dec).

The Amsterdam Cup (11-13 Dec) will be attended by a group of seven while athletes also have the chance to compete at the Scottish and English short course championships in December.

“Together these events provide a batch of solid competitions and one of our big focuses over the past two years has been to encourage athletes to compete more often to practice their racing preparation and skills,” said Furniss.

“We will also be taking a group of athletes to Rio next month for a camp where they can familiarise themselves with the culture and climate ahead of the Games.

“We know we have to move it forward again next year. We had a good World Championships in 2015 but we also know our level of performance has to improve again because Rio will be a sterner test.”

Athletes set to compete at the FINA World Cups in Doha (2-3 Nov) and Dubai (6-7 Nov) are:

Craig Benson
Emma Cain
Luke Greenbank
Jazmin Carlin
James Guy
Georgia Coates
Calum Jarvis
Harrier Cooper
Cameron Kurle
Jemma Lowe
Stephen Milne
Katie Matts
Ross Murdoch
Rosie Rudin
Adam Peaty
Sarah Vasey
Robbie Renwick
Aimee Willmott
Duncan Scott
Abbie Wood
Liam Tancock
Andrew Willis

Athletes set to compete at the LEN European Short Course Championships (2-6 Dec) are:

Luke Greenbank
Jazz Carlin
Roberto Pavoni
Georgia Coates
Adam Peaty
Fran Halsall
Robbie Renwick
Hannah Miley
Liam Tancock
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor
Chris Walker Hebborn
Andrew Willis

Athletes set to compete at the Duel in the Pool (11-12 Dec) are:

James Guy
Jazmin Carlin
Daniel Wallace
Hannah Miley
Andrew Willis
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor
Lauren Quigley

Athletes set to compete at the Amsterdam Cup (11-13 Dec) are:

Jack Burnell
Alice Dearing
Daniel Fogg
Charlotte Evans
Caleb Hughes
Molly Renshaw
Roberto Pavoni

 

Article courtesy of British Swimming