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Three golds for Katrina

Gerard Meagher
4/ 9/2008

SALFORD swimming ace Katrina Alder underlined her 2012 London Olympics potential at the weekend by enjoying triple gold medal glory at the UK School Games.

The 16-year-old Pendleton College pupil made a big splash as England Central captain at the four-day multi-sport event in Bath.

She stormed home in the individual 100 metres backstroke event in 1min 6.31secs and spearheaded the victorious England 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle teams.

Alder, who has fond memories of the UK School Games having grabbed gold in the 200m individual medley in Coventry last year, also clinched a sliver medal in the 200m individual medley in Bath with a time of 2mins 25.28secs.

And the rising City of Salford swimming star, who was glued to the Water Cube action in the Beijing Olympics last month, is desperate to follow in the footsteps of European champion and fellow backstroke specialist Lizzie Simmonds.

Alder said: "I’m delighted with my performance. I came here on the back of a good showing last time around and I’m chuffed to have continued that form.

"I did feel a bit of pressure before the race having won last year. But as soon as the competition started it was easy for me to relax.

"Lizzie Simmonds is someone that I really look up to. I do the medley but my favourite event is the backstroke and she is doing fantastically well at the moment.

"She’s only a year older than me but already she’s won major gold medals and she did brilliantly to get to the Olympic final."

Alder, who also admitted to being inspired by the heroics of double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, came seventh in this year’s British senior championships.

She said: "London 2012 is my ultimate goal. To compete at the highest level would be a dream come true and it is certainly something I’m looking towards.

"In the meantime, I just need to train hard and concentrate on making improvements as I get older and, hopefully, I can break into the international squad fairly soon."

The Youth Sport Trust organises the UK School Games to help transform sport for young people. The Legacy Trust UK supports cultural and sporting activities that celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to leave a lasting legacy and is a funding partner.