I am an out-and-out sprinter and the irony about my two world records is that I hate
Posted in General on 22. Oct, 2010
I am an out-and-out sprinter and the irony about my two world records is that I hate short-course swimming. My focus is on Penny’s 50m world long-course record (30.83) and hopefully I will do it at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July.”As fate would have it, Baker’s first world record came in the pool where Heyns claimed her first, in 1996. “I knew straight away I had broken it, though the pool announcer didn’t. But they asked me to do a lap of honour moments later.”Baker is refreshingly honest regarding her shortcomings, especially for someone who could be sitting back and basking in her new-found global recognition “I’ve got awful turns.. my pull-out and break-out can be much better. if I swim the perfect race I think I’ll break 30 seconds,” she says candidly.Five years ago, her career appeared to be winding down.
Kim Swanwick, her coach at the University of Sheffield, had relocated to New Zealand and Baker’s stroke was a self-confessed “mess”. Her father suggested she take a scholarship and revisit Swanwick in Christchurch.”Kim’s very much science-specific and allows me to train by myself It helps that I’ve started understanding my body too No more getting up to train at 5am; now it’s 9, 10am. I’m in the gym every day, and Kim says it’s in the mid to late 20s when a woman is at her peak in terms of strength.”Everything is now geared towards quality and not quantity These days I swim about 1,500m a day, as opposed to 3km. I’ve settled in New Zealand and consider it as my second home; in fact I have citizenship and a Kiwi passport, but I could never bring myself to swim for anyone other than Britain. Never.”And it’s under the British flag that Baker intends being a show-stopper at the Commonwealth Games. “I’m going to try to lower the short-course record along the way to April’s world championships in Moscow, and then concentrate on the 50m long-course.”At the moment Baker and another British veteran, Mark Foster (50m freestyle), hold world short-course records, but Baker is determined to help lead the country into calmer waters in Manchester later this year after the calamity of Sydney 2000, where Team GB failed to earn a medal.Baker’s best long-course returns in major events are 50m bronze in the world championships in Fukuoka last year and 50m silver (1999 and 2000) in the European championships.Given that in the 100m breaststroke final in Sydney a 16-year-old, Megan Quann, won gold, Baker’s days seemed numbered.
After all, most 25-year-olds at poolside could well be mistaken for parents or officials. But Baker, five weeks shy of her 26th birthday, believes her best is yet to come Given her start to 2002, not many can argue with that.. The Gold Cup needed an injection of class and, yesterday, at a rainy, windswept, Wincanton, the champion returned. It was a facile victory once Whitenzo, the only remaining challenger, fell three fences out in the John Bull Chase, but the bookmakers were unanimous in their analysis of Looks Like Trouble’s triumphant return. The 2000 champion chaser was immediately installed as the 6-1 favourite to become the first horse since L’Escargot 31 years ago to retain his crown at Cheltenham in March.