Tigershark Pair Selected for British Swimming Talent Development Programme

Tigershark youngsters Alexander Jones and Sophie Hawkins were delighted to learn they had been selected onto British Swimming Talent Development Programme for 2006 – 2007.

Their selection comes after both swimmers excellent performances at the National BagCat Competition at Sheffield in July.

The selection process takes place on the conclusion of the National Competition and swimmers are ranked according to FINA points gained for their individual performances over different events.

Andrei Vorontsov of Bath University has been selected as the Talent & Development Coach for the South West. Andrei will be working across the region with home clubs and coaches to support the development of talented swimmers. His remit will include heading up our Age Group programme and working specifically with athletes on the Advanced Apprenticeship for Sporting Excellence. Andrei will be joining the ASA South West on 1 st October 2006.

He has been both a member and co-ordinator of the Science Research Group of USSR and member of the USSR coaching Council for swimming. He has authored the National Age Group Program for Russia and written over 100 articles, books and research reports on swimming technique, periodisation, scientific control and many others.

Alex and Sophie join a growing list of talented Tigershark swimmers selected to join British Swimming programmes. They are hopefully following in the footsteps of Grant Turner and Jazz Carlin who are both currently on the British Swimming World Class Programme. Turner is benefiting from training at the Gold Coast camp in Australia.

Alex and Sophie will clearly be two more names to look out for in the future.