Pathway to the Top – 400m Freestyle
Now that training is up and running, following the summer break, we return to ‘Pathway to the Top’ by having a look at the 400m freestyle.
Once again, we will start with the boys’ rankings as the 400m freestyle includes one of Fins’ oldest records. It was set at Carnegie Pool in December 1986, almost 36 years ago, by none other than the current head coach Ian Lewis where he recorded a time of 4 minutes 9.08 seconds.
Unfortunately, there is only one swimmer from the current squads in the top 50 and that is Mark Scott who is ranked relatively high in 7th place with a time of 4 minutes 15.52, recorded at the Fife Time Trials I October 2021. So, one of Mark’s goals will be to improve his time by at least 6.44 seconds.
The goal for all the other squad swimmers in this event, in order to make the top 50, will to better a time of 4 minutes 47.25 seconds set by Kieran Pate in November 2011, at the East District Age Group Championships.
Top of the girls’ rankings, and a club record of 4 minutes 20.53 seconds, is Nicola Lamb, who set the time at the East District Age Group Championships in November 2011.
As with the boys there is only one swimmer from the current squads in the top 50 and that is Erin Taylor who is currently in 3rd place with a time of 4 minutes 33.74 seconds recorded at the East District Age Group Championships in November 2019.
So, to get to the top Erin will need to improve by 12.22 seconds, but who will do it first – Erin or Mark, or neither.?
To achieve entry to the Girls’ 400m freestyle top 50 the time the current squad swimmers have to beat is 5 minutes 12.07 seconds set by Stephanie Campbell at the INCAS Distance Meet in June 2013.
‘Labore et Scientia’ – through hard work and understanding.