Taipei Report, days 4 and 5

After their rest day on Thursday, the team were back in the competition pool yesterday. Tom did a creditable 200 free, again achieving a personal best, though he might have gone faster had he paced the first 50m better – he went out like a rocket and then slowed up. He then did a 50m fly, again achieving a slight PB. The rest of the team did well, and again Hannah got a bronze medal.
On Saturday, Tom took part in a 200IM, with another PB and a Pellegrini moment – his new Arenas went at the backside at the end of the race. Attempts to repair it with duct tape (!) failed, so the trusty Diana’s, though a bit on the baggy side, came into service for the 4 x 100 freestyle men’s relay. (Bearing in mind the speed with which he had to change, it was probably as well that they are now baggy!) Most importantly the team qualified for the final!
The GB team were ranked 8th, and ultimately came in 8th, improving their time slightly, from 3 51 06, to 3 50 98. This was just fractionally outside the British record but still represents a great performance. But Tom came here, improved his times, evaluated the opposition, took part in a final, and wants to be selected for the Europeans next June. The opposition he and the rest of the GB team have faced here have been truly awesome, including some very fast swimmers from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as one Terence Parkin (SA), silver medallist at the Sidney Olympics. (Note to Matt K – Terry has been getting PBs at this meet!) What an experience Tom has had, and how privileged he has been to take part in something like this.
Back to reality, then, at the end of next week, and back to school on 21st September.

Report form Taipei - Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th September

We are well into competition mode now – we, the spectators, leave the hotel at about 8 45 in a fleet of taxis and arrive about 20 minutes later at the pool. Entry is free, but we have to go through a line of volunteers who spray us with antibacterial gel, take our temperatures, make us sip from our drinks bottles and search our bags before we walk through the metal detector and eventually are allowed into the pool complex. Seats are comfortable (but would of course benefit from the use of the Leatherhead cushion) and most have a good view. The pool itself is new with excellent facilities, and has electronic equipment that hasn’t failed yet, including lights by all the blocks – can we buy some please? The staff are really attentive such that I saw a cleaner following one of the GB swimmers up the corridor, mopping up as the swimmer dripped pool water in his wake. Perhaps we need to bring some of the local leisure centre providers out here to have a look!
The competition starts at 10am, with heats in the morning and finals at 5pm. There are B finals (so first 16 qualify) in any event where there are 24 entries in the morning.
Tom took part in the 400 free (4:49.82) yesterday and the 100 free (59.67) today, getting PB’s in both but not gaining a place in a final. The latter was Tom’s first time sub-60 long course and what better occasion to do it!
The team may have one A and one B final tonight but we haven’t seen the official results to confirm this.
So far, the swimming team have 2 bronze medals because Hannah got another one yesterday for her 200IM. The weather is still hot (currently 36oC), humid and there has been no rain in Hsinchu for about a month. It’s remains cooler in the pool complex.
Tomorrow is a rest day, so the parents will go and do more sightseeing, and the team have to rest, though they may be allowed to visit a local temple or two as there are a number nearby.

Report from Taipei - Monday 7th September.

Well, today, the first day of the swimming games, has arrived - the event we have been building up to for the last 6 months. The swimmers travelled to the competition venue in coaches under police escort early this morning, and the parents got into a selection of taxis. Driving here has to be seen to be believed, as the proliferation of scooters carrying all the family and all their possessions is a sight most unusual! Anyway, we all got to the venue and had to go through rigorous security checks including drinking some water from our bottles in front of the guards. Eventually, after temperature checks and the obligatory spraying of hands with antibacterial gel, we were let into the venue. First up was the girls' 400 free, where our 16-year-old from Wisconsin (don't ask - Scunthorpe really!) got to the finals. After the 100 fly races, both for men and women, we got to the 50 breaststroke for men. Tom was drawn in heat 3 of 5. They had lights on the blocks. Tom stunned us by coming out in his FS Pro - a rare outing indeed especially for someone who isn't keen about wearing body suits. Where were his new Arenas? They said "Take your marks, go", the lights flashed, and Tom remained on the blocks! He dived in after everyone else, and did a creditable 36.38 (a personal best and we think he might have come 24th overall?). Why then did I hear Jim Hobbs, saying "Shocking start" in my ear? It turned out that Tom had never used the lights and just messed up. Still, he can't say that tomorrow.
After this, we ended up the session with the boys' 4 x 200m freestyle relay, where Team GBR, including Tom, just missed out on a final place, coming 9th against some tough opposition.
The finals were at 5pm, and all the swimmers and parents went back to the pool for these, despite only one of the team, Hannah from Wisconsin/Scunthorpe, being in the finals. She came 3rd in the 400 free, and she was therefore the recipient of the first GB medal in any discipline! They do a proper medal ceremony with flag-raising and lots of hand-shaking, which was lovely to see. Another nice connection with home is that an acquaintance of Matt Kidd's, Terence Rankin from South Africa won the men's 50 breaststroke final.
So, tomorrow brings the 400 freestyle for Tom (the first time he will have swum this long-course!). Fingers crossed, over and out for tonight!

Report from the Baxters in Taipei

Sunday 6th September

Hi, just reporting in after a week in hot and humid Taipei! The opening
ceremony was last night - what a spectacular affair, with the unexpected bonus of the fireworks in the shape of the Deaflympic logo starting a fire in the stands! No harm done though. We did laugh though at how disorganised the team procession was compared with the Speedo finals - the athletes did parade in (up to 4000 of them), sort of, and do a lap of the stadium, but then the clowns in the shape of the German and Croatian athletes (wouldn't you know it!) disrupted it all by posing for the cameras instead of keeping walking and it descended into utter chaos. Ron would have been doing his pieces - all the athletes were standing in the middle of the stadium texting their parents whilst the show went on! The show itself must have cost millions - they brought Evelyn Glennie, the deaf percussionist, to do a stint as well as a deaf dance troupe from China, who were unbelievable. A sobering fact is that the games are so big here as to warrant some diplomatic posturing manoeuvring – the Chinese team arrived late so as to accidentally miss the opening ceremony – the reality being that Beijing were displeased that Taiwan had allowed the Dalai Lama into Taiwan for a visit to the area recently devastated by the massive typhoon Morakot.
There is quite a bit of media coverage through both TV and newspaper – wonder what they’ll say about the swimming?
There are police all over the place, even one at the lift on every floor at our hotel, and the coaches carrying athletes to and from venues get police escorts with the flashing lights going. Obviously the organisers must be worried about the threat of terrorist activity - scary indeed!
Competition begins in the morning - 50 breaststroke is tomorrow's offering with the possibility of a 4 x 200 m freestyle relay.