Duo are doing swimmingly
CITY PAIR IN BID TO MAKE A SPLASH AT THE EUROS
TWO Tyneside swimmers will be taking the plunge against Europe’s finest this summer - with medal success firmly on their minds, writes TONY HODGSON.
Newcastle Swim Team’s Emily Large and Nicholas Pyle are part of the Great Britain squad for this July’s European Junior Championships in Helsinki.
For Pyle is it a second Euros callup after he first made the squad last year.
The 17-year-old from Newcastle booked his place after claiming his first senior title at the British Championships in Edinburgh - the 50 metres backstroke in a time of 25.63.
The St Cuthbert’s School pupil will contest the 50, 100 and 200 metres backstroke events at the Euros.
He said: “I am delighted to be selected again and it is already turning into a great year for me.
“I came seventh in the 100 metres backstroke and ninth in the 50 metres backstroke last year but hope I can medal in at least of of my three events this time.
“I just want to continue improving and competing against opposition of this standard can only help me.”
For Large, this latest call-up will follow hard on the heels of her Team England selection for next month’s Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast.
She said: “I was really pleased to be selected for my final year as a junior after being world junior champion last year and European junior champion in 2016 in the 200m butterfly.
“It will be good to be with the junior team in Helsinki as I really enjoy the camaraderie between the swimmers.”
The pair’s selections were based on performances at the British Championships, where Pyle became senior champion and Large won a senior bronze medal.
Pyle competed in the European Junior and World Junior Championships in 2017, qualifying for the final of the 100m backstroke in both events.
This is the last year as juniors for both youngsters and they will go to the meet highly ranked and as strong medal contenders
NST head coach Ryan Livingstone, who looks after both swimmers,said: ‘This is another significant achievement for both Emily and Nick after strong performances at international level in 2017.
“Both are very well deserving of their selections and I am proud of their achievements.”
Pyle was named as one of Sport Newcastle’s Rising Stars of Sport Award winners at its annual dinner earlier this month - along with clubmate Madelaine Hardingham while Large received the Young Sporting Success of the Year Award at the same event.
WATCH out for in-depth profiles on Pyle and Hardingham in Grassroots Sport soon as part of a series of features on this year’s Rising Stars of Sport Award winners.