Olympic visit inspires youngsters (From Warrington Guardian)

Olympic visit inspires youngsters

12:39pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in News

DELIGHTED youngsters who have been making a splash in the swimming world said they were inspired to keep going after meeting Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson.

George Hill, from club Warriors of Warrington won the prize of meeting members of the GB swimming team after writing a poem to motivate other young swimmers.

The 10-year-old Cheshire champion and Liverpool district champion for his age group took his sister Olivia, aged nine and recently also accepted on to the Warriors team, to the Liverpool leg of the British Swimming Heroes Tour Mum Jackie, of St Asaph Drive, Callands, said both youngsters were delighted to meet swimmers, water polo players, synchronised swimmers and divers from the 2012 games as well as the chance to race an Olympian.

She said: “George raced some of the water polo players while Olivia got to race Olympic butterfly swimmer Michael Rock and they loved it.

“They had a great time with Michael teaching George how to bomb and dive into the water and Olivia wore his silver medal.

“We watched all of the swimming at the Olympics so we were really excited and it was great watching him win silver.

“He was a really nice guy.”

George has recently moved up into the national development squad which means an increased training schedule on top of already spending eight to 10 hours a week in the pool.

Jackie added she thought events like the swimming heroes tour would encourage youngsters like George to stick with it.

She said: “He does a lot of training and it’s often early morning starts and hard to keep them motivated.

“The Olympics has really inspired them and the day with the Olympians has really helped too.

“It’s important for them to have a bit of fun alongside the hard work and training.”