Garioch swimmer should change nothing as she bids to recreate British success on world stage, says Mark
Olympic veteran Foster tips Miley for more glory in Rome
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Five-times Olympian Mark Foster believes Garioch swimmer Hannah Miley is one of Britain’s best chances of a Rome world championship medal.
The 19-year-old was the star of the show at the national championships in March, setting two European records in the 200 and 400 metres medley events.
Girl Power is a phrase which refuses to go away from the British swim team, with Gemma Spofforth, Fran Halsall, Miley, Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson all in with a shout of silverware in Rome this month.
Foster, who called time on his swimming career after the Beijing Olympics, has urged Miley to change nothing as she bids to recreate her British success on the world stage.
“She is tiny, but her technique is amazing, what you lack in one side you make up for in another,” said Foster, who was speaking at the launch of the Lloyds TSB national school sport week 2009.
“Hannah Miley is a great talent. She swam some great times up in Glasgow at the Scottish championships last week and a few weeks before a world championship she is looking in great shape.
“As a whole Scottish swimming has come along a lot and with Hannah at the helm I really think she has a great chance of winning a medal in Rome.
“Hannah is fantastic and she swam really well up in Sheffield and in Glasgow. She is always smiling. That is the attitude she has got to keep.
“She has had a lot of success and it can sometimes be difficult to keep it going, but she just needs to keep doing what she’s doing and she will go on to a lot of success.”
Swimming in Scotland has recently received a major financial injection of £1.2million – £900,000 of which is coming from the National Lottery – before next year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Another swimmer from north of the border to benefit will be double Commonwealth champion Caitlin McClatchey, but Foster believes the 23-year-old must make sacrifices if she is to enjoy her Italian job.
“Caitlin is a fantastic talent, but when you put her up against Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson from a purely size point of view she is going to struggle,” said Foster.
“Those girls are about 5ft 11in or 6ft and Caitlin is probably 5ft 7in, so that puts her at a disadvantage.”
