Stockport’s Lauren Quigley insists she will use her Commonwealth Games disappointment to spur her on to bigger and better things this year.
After claiming 50m and 200m backstroke gold at the 2014 British Swimming Championships – as well as 100m silver – Quigley headed north of the border for the Commonwealth Games with high expectations.
However, a silver medal over 50m was as good as it got for the 20-year-old as she fell just short of the podium over the other two distances.
Quigley did help England to a bronze and silver medal in two relays, however this was scant consolation for the Stockport Metro ace.
But a new season brings fresh hope and as Quigley turns her attentions to this week’s British Championships at the London Aquatics Centre, she is determined to use Glasgow’s dissatisfaction to fuel her in the capital.
“I have just got back from a three-week training camp in South Africa and I am really looking forward to getting going this season now,” she said.
“This season has been going really well so far and it is the best season I have had so far in terms of training and times and now I want to carry that over and turn them into medals.
“I think I have started this season so well because the Commonwealth Games were a bit of a disappointment for me in terms of medals.
“But I learnt a lot from it and I am going to try and put all of that into practice for the British Championships.
“I have been able to train better and basically do everything better off the back of the Commonwealth Games and hopefully I can show that in London.”
This year’s British Swimming Championships double up as the selection trials for the summer’s World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
But Quigley insists she is not about to let thoughts of Russia enter her mind in the capital, the youngster keen to take things one step at a time.
“My plan is to go to the trials and swim my absolute best, nothing more than that really,” she added.
“The times are tough to get on to the World Championships team but it means the team will be in a better shape for it when we get to Russia.
“But first things first, I just need to make sure I swim my best in London and if I do that I am confident I can make the plane.”
Come and support the country’s best swimmers from 14-18 April at London Aquatics Centre. Buy your tickets now http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/feature/british-swimming
Image courtesy of British Swimming via YouTube, with thanks.
