Scottish Swimming Competitions Inverness

9th December 2011

520 competitors from swimming clubs in Scotland will arrive in Inverness to compete at the Scottish Short Course Championships held at Inverness Leisure from Friday 15th until Sunday 18th December.� This championship event covers the full Olympic Programme, showcasing the young talent from around the country.

18 Highland Swim Team members from clubs across the Highlands have qualified, �aiming to achieve their best performances in their home pool.�

Highland Swim Team will compete in 11 Relay Team events ranging from 4 x 100 Freestyle to 4 x 50 Medley Relays.

In �addition swimmers will be trying to take places in the individual finals racing against the country's top swimmers including Olympic hopeful, and current world champion, Hannah Miley from Inverurie.

Preparations are going well�for Highland Swimmers who are supported by Jeff Tavendale, High Life Highland's Swimming Development Officer. Highlights include:

Rebecca Smith from Broadford at 15 is very strong in the 400m & 800m Freestyle and set an open water record earlier in the year whilst competing with the Scottish Development Squad;

Ruth Gordon age 13 from Portree, won a Bronze medal at the British Championships last August and goes into this event hoping to make an impact against older swimmers;

Eli Spence from Thurso, at 16 has competed this year in the UK school games, is very strong in Breaststroke events and will almost certainly be in the mix of the medals at some point;�

Rona Plowman 17 from Wick and Conor McGhee 17 from Cromarty �are both very good at the 50m sprint events and Rona hopes to be in the 50m Butterfly Final and Conor the 50m Freestyle Final where they will both have to be very sharp to fulfil their ambitions;�

Robbie More at 15 and from Inverness has shown some great improvements over the summer and hopes to maintain this form over the 200m & 400m Freestyle events and he has a very good chance of finishing in the top 10 of the �senior event.

The event is organised by Scottish Swimming and it is one of very few events where our Highland swimmers can compete without the long journey south.� Our local swimmers love the home support and hope that the community will join in to support them over the weekend. �Spectators are welcome between 9am and 6pm and cost is expected to be �3.00 per session.