AN ASPIRING local swimmer has capped an amazing year by being chosen in August for the Swim England National Pathway for 2023/24 and then followed this by qualifying for 6 events at last weekend’s Winter South East Regional Championships held in Winchester.
Fourteen year old Emma Bourgaize, a member of the Guernsey Swimming Club, has been participating in the Swim England’s Age Group Development Programme since 2020 and is now part of the National pathway for 2023 & 2024. The programme is invitation only and aims to guide and deliver quality swimmers onto British Swimming’s World Class Programmes. Emma was picked to attend the elite National programme after being put forward by the South East Region.
The Swim England Talent Swimming comprises four stages of development for athletes from 11 to 19. These are designed to help youngsters maximise their potential and eventually step up onto British Swimming’s World Class Pathway, where they could become a funded athlete. The National Age Group Development programme runs camps throughout the season and features a mix of swimming coaching and education.
Haidée Stephens, Guernsey Swimming Club coach who accompanied Emma to Winchester last weekend, said: ‘The National Development Programme provides an opportunity to train with top level swimmers and coaches and Emma’s selection is a great achievement given the stiff competition she faced, not only in the South of the UK but across the whole country.’
Prior to selection, Emma competed at the Swim England National Summer Meet in Sheffield, qualifying to swim against competitors in her age group from across the country in 100m and 50m Butterfly and the 100m Freestyle achieving finals in both the 100m Butterfly and the 100m Freestyle.
Last weekend Emma followed this by qualifying to swim at the Region Short Course Winter Championships. Held at the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park, Emma entered and qualified for six different events in Freestyle, Breastroke, Butterfly and Individual Medley. Swimming in an open age group against top athletes of all ages across the region Emma came home with 3 short course personal best swims in 100m Freestyle where she almost broke the coveted 1 minute with a 1.00.81, 50m Freestyle with a 28.18 and the 100m Individual Medley with a 1.09.58.
