Hatfield Swimming Ace Targets World Championships
HATFIELD Swimming Club s Olympic ace Adam Brown has set his sights on qualifying for the World Championships in July. Earlier this year the Beijing Games 4x100m relay finalist left the UK to study and train in America. The 20-year-old is now based at the
HATFIELD Swimming Club's Olympic ace Adam Brown has set his sights on qualifying for the World Championships in July.
Earlier this year the Beijing Games 4x100m relay finalist left the UK to study and train in America.
The 20-year-old is now based at the Auburn University in Alabama, which is said to have the finest men's sprint programme in the world.
It already looks like the switch is paying off for Brown.
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At the US Grand Prix in Missouri he set the third quickest 100m freestyle time ever by a Brit and the fourth fastest 50m free time.
Speaking to the WHT about his first few months in America, he said: "I have settled in really well here in Auburn.
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"Everyone is friendly and easy to get on with.
"The hardest part has been studying and learning at University.
"This is down to taking a year off from education so that I could swim fast in Beijing."
When training in Hatfield Adam is coached by Nick Juba, but out in the States he is trained by Australian two-times Olympian Brett Hawke.
"Being coached by Brett Hawke is amazing. He is very knowledgeable and knows a great deal about sprint swimming.
"He swam at two Olympic Games (Sydney and Athens), so he knows about what the swimmer is feeling, that other coaches who haven't swam at an Olympics might not know or understand," he said.
About his exploits at the meet in Missouri, Brown said: "I swam really well and fast, both myself and Brett were really pleased with how it went.
"At the Grand Prix I wasn't rested or shaved which can make a big difference."
Brown will be flying back to England to compete in the British Long Course Championships in Sheffield between March 16-20.
This is the first qualifier for the World Championships, which take place in Rome, Italy, at the end of July.
"I'm going to be going into this meet with high expectations with my goal of swimming fast enough to qualify individually for the World Champs team, which to do in Sheffield I have to win both my events, the 50m and 100m freestyle."
Brown has been resting up in preparation for the competition in Sheffield.
Having spent the majority of the year in the States, he is looking forward to returning to this country.
He added: "I am very excited to be coming back to the UK to swim in a couple of weeks.
