The Olympics get under way in Beijing today - but for many young Shropshire hopefuls, it’s the 2012 London games that really matter. Andy Richardson catches up with Shropshire athletes on a four-year plan.
The room lights up. Zoe Cooper has that effect on a place. In four years’ time, however, the stunning Shropshire County Council sports development officer hopes she’ll be lighting up more than just the room.
Zoe dreams of illuminating the nation as a key member of Great Britain’s 2012 Olympic squad.
The 24-year-old, jet-setting, multi-medal-winning synchronised swimmer has her sights set firmly on the winners’ rostrum. In 2012, she’ll be going for gold.
Zoe says: “It’s been my dream, since I was a little girl, to compete in the Olympics. I just want to be there. And I want to get a medal. To swim in my home country would be a dream come true.”
Zoe is typical of Shropshire’s Olympic hopefuls. She combines full-time work with an immense training schedule.
All of Shropshire’s hopefuls seek to emulate the likes of Telford javelin thrower Dave Ottley, who won Olympic silver in 1984, or Church Stretton archer Alison Williamson, who won bronze in the 2004 Athens games.
Zoe combines a full-time job with training commitments, sacrificing her personal life in pursuit of sporting success.
Her week starts on Saturday afternoon with a four-hour training session. On Sunday, she spends four hours training and also sees her physiotherapist.
There are training and gym sessions on Monday, while on Tuesday and Wednesday she swims from 6am to 8am before heading to work. On Thursdays, she either rests or catches up on any missed sessions, while on Fridays she’s in the pool from 7pm until 10pm.
In all, she’ll spend 20 hours training each week.
Zoe says: “I was offered £4,000 annual funding from the Lottery. But that would have meant going full time. Obviously, I couldn’t have survived on £4,000, so I said no. Instead, I have to work full time and train. It’s the only way. I make a lot of sacrifices, but I am absolutely dedicated.”
Zoe, who has a degree in psychology, has been swimming since she was seven. She was inspired as a girl when she saw beautiful, balletic synchronised swimmers on her TV screen.
Since then, she’s swum around the world. She was a big winner at the World Masters, in San Francisco, in 2006, scooping a solo bronze and team silver. She’ll be swimming at the World Masters this year and at a similar event in Sweden in 2010.
“Those events are perfect preparation,” she adds. “But London 2012 is my ultimate goal. I’ll be the perfect age. I sincerely believe I’ll be on the rostrum with the British synchronised swimming team.”
Telford Athletics Club secretary Paul Sanderson identified a number of potential medal hopefuls 18 months ago, to form part of our ‘Twelve for 2012′. He says some have made good progress, others have reached a plateau, while new athletes have come to the fore.
Paul says: “Sinead Johnson was one of the people we identified. She’s still competing and putting in the hard work.”
Sinead is a former Great Britain junior international from Telford who won a silver medal in the English Schools 100 metres. Paul adds: “It’s a long way to 2012; people like Sinead have time to reach the standard.”
One Shropshire hopeful who may no longer make the 2012 team is sprinter Danielle Norville, formerly of Priorslee. She made it into the Great Britain team at under-21 and under-23 levels, and was considered one of the county’s best hopes.
However, she moved to America to study. Paul says: “We heard that she was still running well in college in the USA. Who knows, she may return.”
Shifnal teenager Ben Riekstins has continued to make progress as a sprinter and long-jumper. However, the physical gifts that put him ahead of competitors 18 months ago are no longer as pronounced.
Paul says: “Ben works hard. He is a big, strong lad. As other boys have started to mature physically, they’ve started to catch him. Now he’s looking to make the next big leap forward.”
As some bright hopes have faded from contention, new competitors have also emerged. Paul lists triple jumper Anna Kelly, from Shrewsbury, among the top three in the country.
Gemma Weetman, a heptathlete from Oswestry, is another bright hope. The Oswestry Olympian is an English Schools Combined Event winner who is working hard to reach the podium. Paul says: “She’s a great prospect with huge potential.”
Bridgnorth teenager Bethan Partridge excels at the high jump and hopes to peak in four years’ time. The English Schools Senior Girls high jump winner, who attends college in Shrewsbury, is earmarked by Paul as one to watch.
Teenager Ryan Ordidge, meanwhile, is a triathlete who studies at Wrekin College. Paul says: “He could get there. He’s very focused.
“A lot of these athletes are at the right age to be at their peak in four years’ time. They’ve got the Olympics on their radar. Some might make it, others will not. But they’re all looking to be finely tuned for 2012.”
In south Shropshire, local sports development officer Dave Hinves has put together a list of budding prospects.
It includes Church Stretton archer Alison Williamson; long jumper Andrew Jones, from All Stretton, who is ranked number one in the UK for under-20 men; swimmer Fern Davies, from Little Hereford, who has represented England in the World Student Games; disabled archer Kay Lucas, who is ranked third in the world; dressage rider Megan Daley; judo champion Michael Poolton, who has represented England at a home nations training camp; and karate expert Sam Horton, who earned a gold medal for the British team at the Shitoryu Shukokai World Cup and has been selected for the 2009 World Cup in Germany.
All of them hope to strike gold at London in 2012.
- Find out how you can follow Britain’s 2008 Olympic stars in Beijing with our essential TV viewing guide in Friday’s Shropshire Star
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