Ones to Watch: UK edition
With 2016 wrapping up and 2017 set to be another big year of racing, we?'e kicking off the 'Ones to Watch' series so you know which F-Teamers to keep an eye on in the new year!
Freya Anderson
15-year-old sprinter Freya Anderson officially establish herself in the rising stars bracket of the swimming world having smashed a British Junior record and winning a prestigious award all within the same month - a sign of what?s to come from this F-Teamer!
On November 5, Freya won the 2016 Emerging Swimmer of the Year award at the British Swimming awards. It was an unexpected accolade for her.
"It felt surreal, I didn't think I would be the one to receive the award, with fellow F-Teamers Emily Large and Tom Derbyshire also in the running. But I guess all the hard work paid off and the benefits are beginning to show!" she says.
Just a few weeks later, the Ellesmere College Titans swimmer set a new British Junior Record in the 100m freestyle at Stockport Metro's November Open meet. Freya swam an impressive 54.26 to break Jessica Lloyd's 6-year-old record of 55.29. Freya says she was relieved to claim the record having just missed out a year earlier.
"I was definitely aiming to break the record after missing it by 0.01 last year. I knew what I had to do and just swam my race," she says.
Freya now has two British Junior Short Course records to her name, after breaking her first in the 100m breaststroke in December 2015 with a time of 1:08.36. She also has a 100m freestyle British Junior Long Course record after she beat the oldest record in the books for the 15 years age group at the 2016 European Junior Swimming Championships in July. Freya stormed home in the heats to touch with a time of 54.99 to break three-time World Championship medallist Fran Halsall's record of 55.40 which was set at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Freya backed her performance up in the final where she swam even faster to break her own record, setting a faster benchmark of 54.72.
With 2016 coming to a close, Freya has been working towards her goal of competing at the 2017 World Junior Swimming Championships which will be held in August in Indianapolis, USA.
Go Freya!
Emily Large
F-Teamer Emily Large is a butterfly star who is making major waves at just 15.
Emily's spectacular bronze medal performance in the 200m fly at the 2016 British Swimming Championships in April has put her firmly in the spotlight. Her 2:09.47 swim was a three second PB for the F-Teamer from Newcastle Swim Team, and was less than a second off fellow F-Teamer Aimee Willmott's first place time of 2:08.82. Emily's swim broke the previous British Junior 15-years age group record that had stood since 2006.
A few months later, Emily won gold at the 2016 European Junior Swimming Championships when she swam 2:08.87 - another new PB! This performance was the standout for Emily.
"Being European Junior Champion is definitely my favourite moment of 2016 because I was the youngest age grouper there swimming against many older swimmers. Rebecca Adlington achieved this when she was my age and went on to do many extraordinary things so I hope the same will come for me," she says.
Emily was ecstatic to be selected along with fellow F-Teamer Ciara Schlosshan to represent Team GB at the Ontario Junior International meet in Canada in December.
"It's another chance for some fast swimming so I can't wait! It will be a real eye opener for me being on the other side of the Atlantic!" she says.
Emily has big plans for 2017, including making the World Long Course Championships in Hungary. We can't wait to cheer for Emily as she continues to strive towards her goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in 2020.
Ciara Schlosshan
City of Leeds swimmer Ciara Schlosshan is preparing to compete in the Ontario Junior International meet in Canada in just a few weeks. The 15-year-old can't wait to represent Team GB again after competing at the 2016 European Junior Championships in July.
"I was just as excited to be selected for Team GB again as I was the first time. It's been a dream since I was very little to represent my country, and to find out I was going to Canada was amazing. It makes all the hard work worth it," she says.
At the British Championships in April, Ciara won three medals in the junior events: gold in the 200m individual medley (2:15.69) and 200m fly (2:12.54), and silver in the 400m IM (4:51.84).
Ciara's best event is the 200m IM and she holds both the 13 and 14 year age group British Junior Long Course records which she set in July 2015. With the countdown to Canada on, we'll be keeping an eye on Ciara's performances.
Funky Trunks Ones to Watch
Pictured alongside our Funkita F-Teamers are two very talented up-and-comers, Tom Derbyshire and Jacob Peters. To read more about them, please click here!
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Stay tuned for the next edition Funkettes!! Our F-Teamers are full of talent and surprises, so who knows what they will do next!
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