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SWIMMERS Katrina Alder (left) and Amanda Nugent excelled in the trials
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Magnificent seven
24/ 4/2008
SALFORD swimmers made a big splash by earning the right to compete for a place in the British Olympic squad for the forthcoming Beijing games.
Seven swimmers from the Salford Community Leisure Swimming Development Programme showed that they have bright futures in the sport with great performances at the Olympic and European trials in Sheffield.
Amanda Nugent, aged 17, and Katrina Alder, aged 16, established themselves in the top 16 in the country by smashing their personal bests in the 200 metres butterfly and 100m backstroke events respectively.
James Doolan, aged 18, qualified for the European Junior Championships after he stormed into the finals in the 100m butterfly with a personal best and he is now just one-and-a-half seconds away from a British record in the event.
He made the finals of the Europeans last year but this season he will be in with a good shout of winning medals with a year’s extra experience.
Luke Wood, aged 17, made the finals of the 200m backstroke and individual medley to earn the right to compete in the European juniors along with James.
All of them must wait to see if they will make the Olympic squads.
Two Salford elite disability athletes are also in with a good chance of making the plane to Beijing following impressive performances at the trials.
Heather Frederiksen has returned to Salford after a spell with Manchester and she soon made her mark with six British records and five European records and she even equalled a world record in the 100m backstroke.
Her British and European records came in the 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle and 100m freestyle.
She also set a British record in the 50m freestyle and is almost certainly guaranteed a Paralympic team place.
Meanwhile, Worsley’s Rich-ard Howard smashed his personal best in the 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly plus the 200m individual medley. He now must wait until the end of the month to see if he makes the Paralympic squad.
John Stout, Salford’s swimming development officer and head coach, said: "I am proud of all our athletes who have shown the country just how successful our swimming programme is.
"To have four teenagers put themselves in the frame for Olympic squads and to have two athletes on the verge of the Paralympic squad is truly outstanding. Swimming in Salford is scaling new heights."
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