Class is permanent for veteran Blackburn
Lisa Blackburn is hoping to turn back the clock when she competes for Bermuda at the Pan Am Games in Mexico.Blackburn won silver at the 2003 Games in the Dominican Republic while representing Canada and has set her sights on qualifying for next year’s London Olympics.“I last attended the Pan American Games in 2003 and the atmosphere was electric,” she said.“I am really looking forward to the Pan Ams again as I hope my experience this year will be just as exciting and enjoyable.”The veteran swimmer won two golds and a silver at the Caribbean Swimming Championships in Puerto Rico last summer, setting a host of new records in the process, including a new Championship record in the 100m breaststroke. And she is confident of continuing her good form into the Games in Guadalajara later this month.“I am going into the Pan Am Games without any expectations with regards to placing or times, just as I did at the recent Caribbean Championships,” she said.“I am always aspiring to making the Olympic qualifying time and improving my national records in the breaststroke and individual medley events, but will remain focused on the process rather than on the end result.”To prepare for the Games, Blackburn attended a two-week training camp where she swam up to 11km a day with the University of Bath/British intensive training squad.“It was great to train with a group of Olympians and aspiring Olympians who are focused and work hard on a daily basis,” added Blackburn. “The camp has invigorated my training regime and my commitment to qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games and I feel that I have improved my swimming by attending this camp.”Blackburn will join Kiera Aitken and Roy-Allan Burch in Bermuda’s swim team at the Games.