WHILE most sports go on an extended break over the Christmas period the Bathurst Swim Club team are already back in the pool as they prepare for the next two busy months of training and racing.
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With the Bathurst Qualifying Meet this month and the Mountains And Plains Championships and NSW Country Championships on the horizon in February the team can't afford to spend too much time out of the water.
Head coach Josh Stapley said the team came back feeling energised on Monday after the short break.
"We only had the week and a half off over the Christmas break and we were in the pool up to Christmas Eve morning. I want to make sure everyone gets that time off to refresh the brain, more so than the body, because it can be a draining sport staring at a black line for 18 hours a week," he said.
"We can't afford to have too much time off because we're still in the middle of our season but with the way everything's lined up we're able to start a fresh training block."
Stapley said it's exciting for the Manning Aquatic Centre to play host to the first major event of 2021 in the Central West, and his swimmers are keen to make an impression at their home pool.
"It's great that we get to host that first carnival. It takes a bit of pressure off after the break. They're at their home pool and they're a bit more relaxed. It's looking like we'll have over 60 swimmers there," he said.
"The Country Champs are the really big target for us and it looks like we'll have a big group for that one too."
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
