Hope springs eternal for Lucy after she makes Stirling Uni her swimming base
SWIMMING: Lucy Hope senses her switch to the aquatic hothouse of Stirling University can help her plant roots in British Swimming’s elite all the way to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
It is a positive change, the 25-year-old claims, following seven years at the rival Edinburgh programme which propelled her to an Olympic relay final in Tokyo last summer.
Last night, the Borderer tuned up for the forthcoming British trials for the world championships with fifth place in the women’s 200 metres freestyle at the Edinburgh International meeting, as Freya Anderson won.
Hope’s favoured 100m is today and she believes her new base is adding extra strings to her bow. ‘Stirling was the easiest, but also best option for me,’ she said. ‘And I’ve worked with Steve Tigg before. He was my coach at the Olympics while we were out there. And there is so much great energy in the group.’ Duncan Scott, now her training partner, underlined his prolific range by winning the 400m individual medley in a meeting record of 4:15.44.