Sports Management student and swimmer Jonny Carlisle was interviewed by the Development and Alumni Office this month, and discussed his future plans, including an offer to train in Canada for a year and his preparation for the Olympic trials in Glasgow.
Jonny is a talented young backstroker who achieved 5th in the 100m backstroke Olympic trials in London 2012 and is currently training for the Olympic trials in March next year in Glasgow. He is also expected to make the cut for Rio 2016 specialising in 200m backstroke.
Thanks to the Opportunities Scholarship awarded through the University’s Futures Fund, Jonny received the much needed financial support towards his travel, food, accommodation and equipment costs to succeed in London.
It was after the Olympic trials when he decided to take a gap from his Sports Management degree and moved to Bath to take his elite athlete career to the next level. Jonny has been training for three years now at British Swimming's National Centre in Bath. He undertakes a dedicated weekly regime of over 70 km swimming and stroke development, strength and conditioning coaching as well as following a strict physio and nutrition plan to enhance his training.
The 22-year-old also coaches at the Aquae Sulis Performance Swimming Club at weekends where his recent experience competing at a national and international level helps to inspire young swimmers to achieve more within the sport.
With a strict training routine from Monday to Saturday Jonny doesn’t have any spare time.
“I absolutely love being in Bath. I have learned so much here and I have moved up another flight of stairs. I have a full schedule Monday to Saturday and it’s being mentally hard,” said Jonny.
The Sunderland swimmer recently claimed third place in the 200m backstroke at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet in March. He was also the double medal hero in the pool at the BUCS Gatorade Nationals, winning gold in the 200m backstroke and bronze in the 50m backstroke in February last year.
Now Jonny is considering his options for the next year. He has been offered a placement in Canada to enhance his training and is thinking about going in September.
“I have received this great offer from a swimming centre in Calgary, Canada, to train and coach for a year. They would provide me with accommodation and a dedicated training plan and it’s an opportunity to train with other elite athletes at an international level, so I don’t think I’ll be able to refuse this offer!”
“I also love the atmosphere at the swimming competitions in Canada and the US. It’s an overwhelming feeling when you get more than 10,000 people at swimming competitions cheering down at you.”
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