Tired But Delighted!!

I write this blog as I sit in a London restaurant on the first day of my week-long break! I am very excited as it's been ages since I've had this long off swimming.

The reason for the break is that I have just finished swimming at The British Gas Swimming Championships in Manchester where I had an amazing week of racing and now I need to rest!

I swam in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events. The aim for the meet was to come in top six in the 800m and qualify for the open water team that goes to Israel in May (which is itself the qualification event for the open water World Championships in Shanghai later this year) - I did that and much more ...

My first event was the 400m free which I came third in, with a five second personal best time of 4.07.9, Rebecca Adlington came first and Jazz Carlin came second.

The next events were the 1500m free and the 200m free, I broke the eight year old British record in the 1500m to win the race in a 16.06, I then had 20 minutes until the semi-final of the 200m free which was very tough but I just managed to squeak into the final in 8th place. The next evening was the final of the 200m free. From lane eight I lead the race to the 150m mark, but again Rebecca and Jazz were faster in the last 50 and I finished third with another PB of 1.59.4. which means making the Worlds 4X200m free relay team which is such a bonus - unsurprisingly I am very pleased to make the team!

The last and final race for me was the 800m free and I was seeded 4th going into the final behind Rebecca, Jazz and Cassandra Patten. It was such a tough race and my body was really sore from all the racing I had already done but I still managed to clock another PB in a time of 8.29. All after racing 6000m! There was however a running theme through the meet and the podium was again Rebecca first, Jazz second and myself third!

I was so pleased with my performances from the trials this year and I achieved what I came to do which was qualify for the open water team to go to Israel but I also managed to qualify for the World's pool team which is amazing and very exciting. Shanghai here I come!!