'Speedo' Strobridge will do her promotion bit

GAIL STROBRIDGE has broken two of her own island short-course records. Competing at the Student National Championships at Ponds Forge Pool, in Sheffield, the Beau Sejour Barracuda set new island standards in the 200m freestyle and the 400m individual medley.

In the shorter event, Strobridge placed fourth in 2min. 4.16sec., while her 4-53.22 in the IM earned her a bronze as she became the first female swimmer from Southampton University to win a medal at the nationals.

She also placed fifth in the 200m IM and assisted her team to victory in the 4 x 50m medley and freestyle relays.

'I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event: I love doing galas where you're representing yourself but as part of a team, it gives you an extra boost,' she said.

'I was hoping I was going to swim well at the weekend, purely because I was enjoying my swimming so much and wanted to do well.'

However, Strobridge said that others also had high expectations of her, though she reacted well to the extra responsibility.

'I felt a lot of pressure from the coach at Southampton University, so didn't want to let him or anyone else down. I can safely say that I perform best under pressure - it gives me that extra determination.'

However, even she was surprised by the improvement in her times as she sliced a huge chunk off her previous-fastest.

'My best swim was by far the 400 IM, as I had recently done a PB in that event in August, so to do just over a two-second PB was very unexpected.

'The events I was in had a very strong line-up of people, so to place up in the top four was a great achievement for me.

'In the 200 IM, in which I was fifth, there were some very strong elite swimmers in it.

'Loughborough overrule the other unis, so to be up there with the Loughborough swimmers made me feel proud of my performances.'

Now she has her sights on Shetland and beyond.

'The students' nationals is definitely the gala I am aiming at to swim best representing the university, but it is not the gala I am aiming at throughout the year.

'I'm still hoping to do the Island Games and senior nationals. Those are the two events I want to peak at this coming year.'

Also competing at Ponds Forge was another Barracuda, Charlotte Rugg, who was representing Oxford Brookes University.

She produced a lifetime best of 2-32.30 in the 200m freestyle and her leg of 31.47 in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay was also a personal best.

This weekend, Strobridge will be joining the Barracudas team in Southampton to assist them in their efforts to gain promotion to the Premier Division of the National Speedo League.

They are currently ranked fifth overall and will travel to Waterlooville for the third and final round of Division One where they will meet Havant and Waterlooville, Chesham, Alton and District, Newbury and long-time rivals Jersey.