PLYMOUTH Leander’s Laura Stephens is one of 16 British swimmers who have been selected to travel to Arizona for a three-week altitude training camp.
The camp, held at the Hypo2 High Performance Sport Centre in Flagstaff, is the first in a series of 10 based at altitude in the run up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
GB officials are targeting swimmers who compete at 200m or longer events with an optimal age and performance profile set to excel at the Tokyo Games.
“We believe there are some significant gains for a group of swimmers that we need to explore further and ultimately perfect ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games,” said British Swimming’s national performance director Chris Spice.
“British Swimming will implement a testing programme prior to, during and post each altitude exposure to ensure we’re maximizing the positive effects such training can have on an athlete.
“Flagstaff is just the first in the 10-camp altitude programme. We will be holding two a year in October and then either January or February, for three weeks at a time.”
Plymouth College butterfly specialist Stephens, 17, has won individual medals at the European Games and European Junior Championships in the last 18 months and impressed at this year’s European Senior Championships.
Double Olympic relay silver medallist Duncan Scott is also part of the squad that heads to Flagstaff this week.
GB swimmers selected for Flagstaff training camp
Charlie Attwood – National Centre Bath
Luke Davies – City of Birmingham SC
Luke Greenbank – City of Derby SC
Caleb Hughes – National Centre Loughborough
Daniel Jervis – City of Swansea Aquatics Club
Max Litchfield – City of Sheffield
Duncan Scott – University of Stirling
Tim Shuttleworth – National Centre Loughborough
Georgia Coates – City of Leeds
Kathleen Dawson – University of Stirling
Holly Hibbott – Stockport Metro SC
Katie Matts – Stockport Metro SC
Tazmin Pugh – Ellesmere College Titans
Rosie Rudin – City of Sheffield
Laura Stephens – Plymouth Leander SC
Abbie Wood – National Centre Loughborough