Flanders Cup

I'm pleased to be selected to swim for the GB Team for the Flanders Cup in January 2013
This is the 10th time The Flanders Swimming Competition is taking place. This is an International Swimming Meet in which a number of leading names will compete.
The Flanders Swimming Cup will be held in Antwerp and is a 2-day event on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th January
I will be competing in the 400 and 800 freestyle and the 400 individual medley.


Picture taken by Mike Brehaut, Creative Photography

Rothschild Island Champs

My next competition will be the Rothschild Island Championships held at Beau Sejour this weekend. As I’m not being considered for Island Games next year we decided to use this partly of my training as I have nothing specific that I need to get times for, as all my swimming is towards long course times
Last 2 years at Island Champs I did all the events but I’m only doing 9 this year.
The event I’m hoping to do well in will be the 400IM.

400IM-2012

400Free-2012

South east & Sainsbury's Schools games 2012

I am now in Israel with the Great Britain Team for the Open Water, wish me luck  the race happens on Friday 18th May.
I was away last weekend competing at the South East Regional Championships;
I couldn’t do the full programme because I had to leave on the Sunday to represent England South at the Sainsbury’s School Games which was held at the Olympic Pool in East London. At South East I did some races which were not my favourite, I got a pb in 200 breastroke, backstroke I was on my times and I medalled in every final I did.
At Sainsbury’s School Games I had one individual event which was the 800 freestyle, I have to say though this was quite gruelling for me and I had to work hard against Lucy Campbell from Windsor, but I did touch in 1st place with just a pb in a time of 8.51.47 this was also a long course Island Record so I was pleased with that. In the Team Relays I was the anchor member (last one in) for the 4x100 free and the 4x200free, I went in when we were in 3rd and 4th place respectively and I gained on the Team and we medalled in 2nd and 3rd place. I was very pleased with my two relay split times.
Overall there were 8 teams, England North were the winners, we came 2nd (England South) and England Central 3rd.

My Hampshires 2012

My Hampshire Counties held in Portsmouth.
I used this long course competition as part of my training to try and gain some stamina and to maximise the 50metre mode, so I decided to enter 12 events which also consisted of finals so I raced in 21 overall, that was tough! To my surprise I won 20 Hampshire titles consisting of 10 juniors and 10 open.
It was a tough weekend but I did enjoy it.
Two of my races which I was really pleased with were the 200 and 100 backstroke, these 2 were personal best times and also Island records held previously by Michelle Bingham since 1998

My British Trials

It started like a roller coaster.  Supposed to fly to Gatwick but due to the fog we decided at the last minute to go on the overnight boat, to make things worse all the cabins were taken so I ended up sleeping on the floor, nightmare!!  But we got there in the end.

My first day on Friday I had two training sessions in the brand new Olympic pool which was massive!

My fist race I didn’t really get going which was 100 fly, followed by 400 IM, that was much better, I was pleased with that one, came 2^nd in my heat and 3^rd overall in my age group.

400 free on Sunday was only slightly off my personal best and finished 2^nd overall in my age group. On Monday I had the 200 free that was ok, only slightly off my pb again.

Tuesday was the 200 fly and again just off my pb, I was hoping to get into the Semi final for this one, but unfortunately I didn’t make it, I placed second reserve.

Wednesday I had nothing so I just went training in the morning and night to maximise the 50metre mode.

Thursday had to be my BIG DAY as I was racing in the 800 free; I had to win this one in my age group as this will decide whether I get into the GB European Team.  Luckily I had a good start and felt comfortable, looking at my splits at one stage I was 1 ½ seconds inside my best time and thank god I won it in a personal best time of 8.51.58 also a long course Island record.  Later on that day I had confirmation on my selection for the GB Junior European Team held in July in Antwerp, Belgium.

On Friday I trained more in the pool, and then to my surprise I was told that I am also part of the team to represent GB for the open water trials held in May in Israel.  I waited ages for one selection and in the end I get two!!

At this stage I would like to thank my sponsors and Guernsey Swimming Club for all their support.

Guernsey Sports Commission awards 2012

Courtesy of Guernsey Press

After being nominated for the last 3 years for the Lambourne Shield I was very pleased to finally win it this year. I was also part of the Best Junior team for the relay squad in the Island Games.

The Guernsey Press Award 2011

Courtesy of Guernsey Press

I was really pleased to be chosen for The Guernsey Press Sporting Achievement of the year Award, it came as a nice surprise so I would like to thank everbody at the Guernsey Press for selecting me.

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/sport/2011/12/30/achieving-perfection/

Channel Island Championships 2012

I had a very successful weekend in Jersey for Channel Island Championships.  To be honest I was a bit worried as to how I would perform as not been training much since returning from Millfield where I was on the England Talent camp, but I was really pleased with myself as I came away winning 12 out of 12 events all were age group championship records and three were Island records, two were my own in the 200 fly  and the 200IM in a time of 2.16.84 and 2.17.20,  my other one was the 100IM which was previously held by Helen Watts since 2000 in a time of 1.04.65 so I was really pleased with that one.  Now overall I hold 26 out of 35 short and long course Island records.

 I was also pushed in a few events by my friend Ella Dias from Tigers Swimming Club, it’s always good to have competition!

So overall I got 3 personal best times 12 age group records, 3 Island Records and was awarded the best Guernsey female.
http://www.thisisguernsey.com/sport/2012/01/25/neves-star-of-show/

Tigers Open Oct 2011

Just been competing in the Tigers, Jersey Open, very pleased with my results this early on in the season.

4 personal best times and very close to others plus 5 Island records,  3 of them were already mine, the other two were 50 back which was held by Gail Strobridge and the 200 back was previously held by Lotte Parfit.  I was really pleased with these two events seeing as backstroke is one of my least favourites, but after some coaching from Cate Jackson I have improved, so I must drop her an email to say thanks for her help!

Also a lot of my times were inside National times, so that was good.

Now I’m the holder of 12 out of 18 Island records for short course.

At the very end we had the fun events called “Skins” starts with 8 swimmers and then it’s process of elimination until you have 2 remaining for which I won this!! Very fast and furious.

When I met Cate!

  

Cate Jackson is a name that I had heard of since I was a very young age, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would meet her one day.  I was told how nice she was and that she was a wonderful swimmer especially when she was beating Guernsey Swimming Club Records as well as Island Records but I never had a face to put to the name, so you can imagine how excited I was when I had a call to ask if she could meet me!  We had a really good chat and she told me about the times when she was swimming and how things have changed over the years, we had a swim together and she even gave me a few tips on my backstroke and I can’t wait until I try them out even though this is not my favourite stroke!

Pictures supplied by Guernsey Press.

Up and Coming

My next competition I’m going to is the Sainsbury’s UK School Games which is held this year in Sheffield this includes 12 sports and over 1600 elite school age athletes including disability events.  This is held from 1^st – 4^th September.  The multi sport event is delivered by youth sports trust and designed to replicate a major championship with opening and closing ceremonies and an athlete’s village.

The swimming will take place at Ponds Forge which I’m pleased about and you can only enter 2 individual events and relays. 

Straight from this I will be off to Isle of Man for the Youth Commonwealths, it’s a shame that this is only short course!

My Summer so far

Since Easter been flat out, up and down the UK, my feet haven’t touched the ground since County Champs.  I have been to Cyprus with ASA England National Talent Team for intense week of training, came back from that straight into South East Summer Champs, I was pleased with my performances, where I medalled in 11 events, 6 golds, and some Island and South East records, and also broke into the magic 8min mark for the 800m freestyle.

Then I did the Manchester Open again where I really enjoyed myself in which I was awarded the best girl for my age group, again I was pleased with my designated races.

Since I was going to participate in the Island Games my coach team decided I should do some races on the short course so I then entered Barracudas Open Meet and this was the end of May, so it gives you a picture how busy I have been since end of Easter and beginning of May, so after this it was quite nice to have a bit of rest before heading off to Isle of Wight.

Then I did my first Island Games where I came away with 13 medals, 6 golds and also 6 Games records.

My first Youth Nationals which was a bit different where I had to swim in heats, semi-finals and finals.  We were pleased with all the results, I medalled in 3 events, 400free, 800free and 200 fly and came away with 10 new Island Records, and also I beat the long standing record in the 200IM since 1984 which was held by Cate Jackson.

I was shocked when I was presented with an award from the ASA/Speedo with a waterproof mp3 player this was in recognition of my performances for the 400free and 800free for last 4 years.

I have also been invited to the ASA National Talent Programme, which includes the best 18 youth girls and 18 boys.

At this time I would like to thank all my sponsors, Rothschild Bank International, Rising Stars, (ASA, Lloyds TSB Local Heroes and Kellogg’s) Fletcher Sports Guernsey.

Specsavers 50m Sprint Gala 2011

Hi,

I have just competed in the GASA 50m Sprints on Saturday held at St Sampson’s High.

It was a fast and furious afternoon!

Sprinting is not my cup of tea! But I did quite well, winning all four events in my age group and all of them were records, I was pleased with my breastroke where I broke into the 35seconds for the first time so pleased with that! But my best event was the butterfly where this was an Island record in a time of 29.44

Hampshire County 2011

Hi Everyone,

Not updated my blog in a while as been up and down lately with my health, just recovered from flu a few weeks ago and didn’t train for a while, thankfully feeling much better now and have just finished competing in Portsmouth for Hampshire County Championships, which was long course this year, where I entered 12 races which counted for youth and senior championships.  I was quite pleased with my performance and came away overall with 17 titles , consisting of 9 youth and 8 seniors, 2 of my times were South East age group long course records , but I saved my best one for last which was 50m fly in a time of 29.53 and was also a new Island long course record.

Leeds Christmas Cracker

I have just come back from the Leeds Christmas Cracker competition. I didn’t really perform as well as I had hoped...It was the most horrible weather conditions I have ever been in. It was -7 degrees on most days and it was freezing on poolside and in the pool, which wasn’t great! However, I got 6 personal best times, which were in my Back and Breast events and my 50 free. My biggest achievement of the competition was the 50 free skins. This was my first time participating in the skins as it is the top 8 people in a 50 event, so I had never been fast enough before. I went into the race in 5th place and came out 1st over a number of heats. I won 3 heats and the final one making it 4 out of 7. Overall I won some money and a lovely glass trophy for winning overall. I also won best girl for my age group. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and wish you a happy new year!

Leeds Christmas Cracker

My next competition is the Leeds Xmas Cracker 50m mode on 17/18 December.

I have to train hard now for the next couple of weeks, as I have missed some training due to not being well then came the snow and Guernsey came to a standstill!

So will let you know how I perform with this one!

Island Championships

Last month I competed at the Island Championships which is sponsored by Rothschild Bank.

I’m pleased I did well at this event seeing as they sponsor me personally.

I swum in 16 events and won all of them including the back and breast races which was a shock to me as they are my weakest events,  so I was delighted with that.  In the 400 individual medley race I got a very small personal best time and this was also the fastest all comers pool record.

Overall I got 12 new records and picked up the Rothschild and Perpetual trophies for the girl scoring the most points in the gala and the outstanding female swimmer of the meet.

South East Winter Short Course Championships held in Portsmouth.

This competition is run in two age groups, 16 and under and 17 and over.

I came away with 4 personal best times, where on the 800m freestyle my time of 8.45.80 for which I improved by nearly 23 seconds, this is also a new Island record by just over 20 seconds which has stood since 1994 held by Sam Herridge 9.06.36. In the 1500m freestyle my time of 16.48.51 which was nearly 30 seconds off my previous time

Some of these times were good enough for 3 Guernsey Island records, 4 South East Juniors, and 1 Open record.

 Overall I made the podium 12 times, where I won 2 Open events and 5 Juniors.