Worlds best meet in Sheffield for International Disability Swimming Championship
Disability Sport Events (DSE) is holding the British International Disability Swimming Championship at Ponds Forge in Sheffield this weekend. Nationwide Building Society and British Swimming are supporting the event which incorporates the GB Selection trials for the Beijing Paralympics. Over 300 swimmers from sixteen countries will compete in Sheffield from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th April.
British contenders to watch out for during the event are Nyree Lewis, Sascha Kindred, Danielle Watts and Gareth Duke. Newcomer Heather Frederikson is also likely to feature in the S6 races after showing amazing form in previous championships. They are hoping to join Eleanor Simmonds and David Roberts who have already secured qualifying times for the Beijing team.
Thirteen year old Eleanor Simmonds (S6) from Boldmere, West Midlands achieved the times for the Beijing Paralympics at the British Swimming Championships at the beginning of the month. She will be hoping to improve on her personal best and gain additional experience in the build up to the ultimate event of the year.
A star in the making, Eleanor watched the Athens Paralympics in 2004 and was inspired. Four years later, she is a strong contender for a medal in Beijing. She competed in the IPC World Championships in 2006 when just twelve years old. Since then she has moved to Wales to join their swimming squad and put in some gruelling hours of training. She remarked about the competitive weekend ahead:
“I have already got qualifying times in the 100m and 400m free, and the 200m Individual Medley (IM). Nyree (Lewis), Natalie (Jones) and Liz (Johnson) are my competition as they have also got the qualifying time for the IM, so I need to improve my time to secure my place in that event. There are only 3 places up for grabs. I also hope to get the qualifying time for 50m Freestyle and if I can do a big Personal best- maybe the 50m Butterfly too. When it comes round to Beijing, I'm hoping to swim the 50m, 100m and 400m Freestyle as well as the 200m IM.”
Twenty seven year old David Roberts from Cardiff has also booked his place in the team for Beijing. He broke rival Matt Walker’s world record in the British Swimming Championships in the S7 50m Freestyle with a time of 27.67 seconds. With other world records in the 100m and 200m Freestyle, David is one to watch during these trials. He comments:
“I am really looking forward to my 400m Free and of course the 50m free, which is always a tight race. During the weekend I have a number of tough competitors with my old foes being Andrew Lindsay and Matthew Walker and I also now have to start looking towards the new kid on the block- Jonathan Fox.
In Beijing I’m hoping to compete in the 400m, 100m and 50m Free. I have not qualified yet as the team will be selected after this meet, but I have already achieved qualifying times in all of my events at the British Swimming Meet.
I always enjoy this competition as it brings the best swimmers from around the world to race and it can’t get any better than that for both swimmers and spectators”.
International swimmer Itzhak Mamistalov from Israel, competing in the S1 classification is also one to watch. One of the best international swimmers in the world, he holds the world record in the 50m, 100m and 200m Freestyle. Other international swimmers competing at the event include world record holders Enrique Floriano (Spain), Christoph Burkard (Germany), Kirsten Bruhn (Germany) and Karolina Pelendridou (Cyprus).
Maxine Taylor, Nationwide’s Divisional Director for Corporate Affairs, said: “Nationwide Building Society is very proud to support DSE and all the athletes who compete at these events throughout the UK. We hope our sponsorship will enable more disabled athletes to take part in these events and that they continue to break records, both personally and internationally.”
Gordon Neale, Director of Events for DSE, said: “Through the support of Nationwide and our many volunteers, we are able to host a variety of events throughout the year for people with all abilities, whether they are just starting to learn a sport or going for gold at the Paralympics. New athletes and swimmers are always welcome at our regional events as these are the perfect environment for new participants to learn and enjoy their chosen sport. All information is available via the DSE website for both participants and volunteers, who are always needed and welcomed at our events. Without the dedication of volunteers our events just wouldn’t happen.”
Other partners assisting the championships are British Swimming, Water Direct, Ponds Forge and the Sheffield City Council's Major Sports Events Unit.
