Anderson Embraces The Comfort Zone Of Top Competition\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Freya Anderson<\/strong> thrives in the gladiatorial arena of major competition and embraces the pressure and intensity of what can be an unforgiving spotlight.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old has been on scorching form over the past couple of months with 50m and 100m freestyle gold at the European Short-Course Championships in Glasgow in December 2019.<\/p>\n

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Freya Anderson – Photo Courtesy: LEN<\/p><\/div>\n
That was followed by an eye-opening campaign at the Flanders Cup<\/a> last weekend when she won the 50, 100 and 200m free treble.<\/p>\n
There was a new PB of 25.06 in the splash and dash and an eyebrow-raising best of 1:56.06 in the 200 elevating her to third British woman all-time behind Jo Jackson<\/strong>, the 2008 Olympic 400m bronze medallist, and Siobhan O\u2019Connor.<\/strong><\/p>\n
All of which hints at an exciting 2020 to come with the Olympics in July the focal point should she qualify at the British trials in April.<\/p>\n
Not for Anderson are there debilitating nerves but instead an exhilaration, a swimmer at home in the water.<\/p>\n
She told Sky News:<\/p>\n
\u201cI get excited. I think that\u2019s my comfort zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely more comfortable standing in front of tens of thousands of people in a race suit than speaking in front of 10 or 20 people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know why that is. I think it\u2019s that swimming has been my comfort blanket and it\u2019s something that I really enjoy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Anderson is guided at Ellesmere Titans by Alan Bircher who believes she can get among the medals come Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a competitor. She can stand up in the race arena and touch the wall quicker than anyone else,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she can be on the podium. We\u2019re trying to point her in the right direction. If that happens, so be it, if it doesn\u2019t, back to the drawing board and she goes again.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So too does Anderson acknowledge how essential all the hard work is if she is to be the best version of herself in July.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes [training] is really hard and I can\u2019t go without moaning, but you just have to keep your eyes on the prize,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the Olympics being so close, I don\u2019t want to be stood behind the blocks in Tokyo, if I make the team, and have regrets I didn\u2019t put everything into the training. I\u2019m trying to go about just not holding anything back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friday, January 24<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
Ryosuke Irie – A Fast Thirtysomething<\/strong><\/p>\n
Ryosuke Irie<\/strong> celebrated his 30th birthday in style with a fast 52.59 victory over 100m backstroke on the first day of racing at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup in Tokyo<\/strong>. After 53.12 in heats, Irie, known not just for speed but the smoothness and aesthetic quality of his backstroke technique, raced to the top of the early 2020 World rankings way ahead of Masaki Kaneko<\/strong>, on 54.33.<\/p>\n
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Ryosuke Irie – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant<\/p><\/div>\n
Irie’s effort was not far from his Japanese record of 52.24, set in shiny suit at the 2009 Australian Championships. His effort today would have taken silver at the World Championships last year in Gwangju a slither behind China’s Xu Jiayu<\/strong> and a 52.43.<\/p>\n
In other action at the Kitajima Cup named after the most decorated Olympic breaststroke champion (four golds, 100, 200m, 2004 and 2008), in-form Worlds silver medallist Katsuhiro Matsumoto<\/strong> clocked a meet mark 1:45.82 (0.9sec ahead of the previous mark) in the 200 free – close to his national record of 1:45.22 from the global gathering in Gwangju last year, and good for a dominant win ahead of Naito Ehara<\/strong>, on 1:47.64. Back in 10th today was Kosuke Hagino<\/strong>, on 1:52.19.<\/p>\n
There were also fine efforts from Masato Sakai<\/strong>, Olympic silver medallist, and Nao Horomura, on 1:55.48 and 1:55.84 respectively in the 200m butterfly.<\/p>\n
Yui Ohashi<\/strong> topped the bill among women, on 2:08.78 in the 200m butterfly, while Chihiro Igarashi<\/strong> took the 200m freestyle in 1:58.94, Rio Shirai<\/strong> the 100m backstroke in a meet mark of 1:00.33, and Reona Aoki the 100m breaststroke in 1:06.98.<\/p>\n
Para-Swimmer Harvey Walks Tall After Visit To Suzuka University<\/strong><\/p>\n
British para-swimmer Grace Harvey\u00a0<\/strong>has posted film of “a day she won’t ever forget” after “for the first time ever I stood straight” and “walked with a normal walking pattern”.<\/p>\n
Harvey, who won bronze in the S6 100m backstroke at the 2018 Para Swimming European Championships in Dublin, Ireland, had been on a training camp with her British team-mates in Suzuka, Japan, acclimatising for the Paralympics which start on 25 August in Tokyo.<\/p>\n
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For the first time ever. I stood straight.
For the first time ever. I walked with a normal walking pattern.
I cannot thank @britishswimming<\/a> and Suzuka University enough for the most amazing experience. Technology creates possibilities, it gave me a day I won't ever forget. pic.twitter.com\/jtoTMhgKh6<\/a><\/p>\n
— Grace Harvey (@graceharvey767) January 23, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n