Trio step up bid to qualify for Games

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Kiera Aitken, Julian Fletcher and Lisa Blackburn will all resume their quest to qualify for the London Olympics later this week.

Fletcher and Blackburn will accompany Roy-Allan Burch at the Charlotte Ultra Swim meet in North Carolina while Aitken is competing at the Acropolis Grand Prix in Greece.

Aitken is attempting to qualify in the 100 metres backstroke, Fletcher in the 100 metres breaststroke and Blackburn in the 100 and 200 metres breaststroke.

With the deadline for Olympic qualification looming, national coach Ben Smith is wary the pressure is mounting on the local trio to reach the qualifying standard on both sides of the Atlantic.

“It’s that time of year where the pressure is on and people are kind of getting worked up about what they are trying to achieve,” said Smith.

“Julian and Lisa have been training really hard. They have come down now as they prepare to sort of shave and taper for this competition.

“Julian has hit a couple of target times that are pretty close to the qualifying time so he’s looking forward to seeing what he’s able to do this week. Lisa is coming off a little injury but she’s feeling strong and ready.

“Kiera looked very strong at the Spanish National Championships where she set a new national record (29.31) in the 50 metres backstroke. Unfortunately she came down sick a couple of days later which obviously affected her performance in the 100 metres backstroke which is the event she is trying reach her qualifying time in.

“Hopefully this weekend we are going to have a better idea of who’s going to make the times and who’s going to be on the (Olympic) team.”

Unlike the trio of Aitken, Fletcher and Blackburn, Burch will enter this weekend’s meet without the burden of having to qualify for the Games having already met the standard.

“Roy has a little bit of a luxury because he’s hit the time that’s given him the selection which allows him to prepare,” Smith said. “So his focus is on the Games while these guys are focused on qualifying times.

“What he’s looking for is more experience within the race so he’s just fine tuning what he’s been able to do up until now. Because he’s already got the selection time he’s got a little bit of room to specifically work on what he’s doing as opposed to trying to rest and get ready for qualifying time.”

Burch warmed up for this weekend’s meet with an inspiring win in the Open men’s 50 metres freestyle at a recent club meet in North Carolina.

“Roy has been able to consistently achieve good times and he’s feeling strong in the water and doing a lot of work outside of the water,” Smith said. “He’s just happy with the level he’s at right now in the hope he can bring that time down when we get to London.”

Following this weekend’s event in Charlotte, Burch, Fletcher and Blackburn will compete at the Santa Clara Grand Prix in California at the end of the month.

“The Charlotte Ultra Swim and Santa Clara Grand Prix have been marked as the events these guys (Blackburn and Fletcher) are really trying to put their best in to make the qualifying times,” Smith said.

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