THE CITY OF ELY ASC

PRESS RELEASE
April 2008

Ely Swimmer is National Success
18 year old has his sights set on London 2012

Ely Swimming Club member Jeff Hill qualified for the finals of the British Championships in the 1,500m freestyle event, by swimming 25 seconds faster than he has ever done before, and is now ranked 7 th fastest in the country.

Jeff achieved a time of 15min 55.54 seconds at the competition in the Olympic sized pool in Sheffield last week - an average of 16 seconds per length for 60 lengths of The Paradise Pool. The British Championships doubles as the final opportunity for British swimmers to qualify for the Beijing Olympics this summer.  

Jeff's time in the 1,500m event won him a place in the GB European Junior Open Water Team, and his first event will be in Italy in June, where he is expected to finish in the top three.   A top three place will qualify Jeff for a further event in France in July, which acts as a qualifier for the London 2012 Olympics.

Jeff is currently a student at Kelly College, Devon, where his studies run alongside his training programme. The College proudly claims to have a current or former pupil in the GB swimming squad at every Olympic Games since 1980. The intensive training sessions mean that Jeff often swims the equivalent of three London Marathons a week.

Ely Swimming Club Coach and proud Mum Elaine Hill, comments: "Jeff has worked hard to achieve this standard and the family and the Club are justifiably very proud of him. He still trains in Ely during the holidays and it really helps the younger swimmers to realise what they can achieve, because Jeff worked his way up from a Junior swimmer just as they are doing."

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Published: 21/08/2008
© The City of Ely ASC