Pressure on Gail to do it all again

GAIL STROBRIDGE was back in Guernsey at the weekend and in good form in the pool. Her aim was to record qualifying times for the Island Games in a 25m pool.

But the 19-year-old, who was Guernsey's golden girl of the 2003 Games, warned not to expect a repeat of her terrific medal haul.

The Southampton University student won all 12 of the disciplines in which she competed at the Guernsey Electricity Island Championships.

She failed to break any records - many of them her own - but Strobridge, who was taking her last opportunity to achieve the times she needed having had flu over the last gala weekend at Beau Sejour, was not surprised.

'I was hoping to go a little bit faster in breaststroke but I needed to win all the races, which I have, and I'll build on my times from there,' she said.

Strobridge is certain to be named in the Island Games swimming team which is due to be announced this week.

In her home pool two years ago, she claimed six gold medals, five silvers and two bronzes.

But she is aware that those performances created an expectation she might struggle to repeat in Shetland.

'I'm a bit nervous. I don't know whether my swimming and fitness are up to the same level as last time,' she said at the weekend. 'I'm just hoping to do the best I can.'

Coach Alison Frankland is aware of the pressures surrounding one of her star performers.

'She won't do as many events as last time and we will trim her programme down, but she is experienced enough to know what she has got to do and she will know the work that is expected of her,' she said.

'I have no doubt that she will make sure she is at peak fitness for that event.'

Strobridge is currently juggling competitive swimming with studies for her medicine degree. Her university course lasts six years, with key examinations at the end of years one, three and five.

She also openly pondered her future in the sport.

'At the moment I've qualified for the Commonwealth Games and I am really hoping to go. I'll have to take it up with my head of year and hopefully we can sort it out before the end of term. It means I'll have to take two or three weeks off.

'Then we'll just see where it goes from there. I'm not sure how long I could carry on swimming.

'I am very focused on finishing my degree and finishing it well. I don't like being at the bottom or middle of something.'

Frankland contests the trend for young swimmers to get out of their sport almost as soon as they are out of their teens.

She remains confident that there is more to come from Strobridge - and another medal haul in July would go down nicely.