When the Royal Commonwealth Pool closed for refurbishment after the 2008 Olympic Games, City of Edinburgh swimmers were left in a quandary and assistant coach, Chris Jones, was seriously worried because he was without a job. 

But it turned out to be anything but a lost cause. Two years on, Jones is head coach of a high-powered Edinburgh University scheme, and five of the swimmers have been selected to line up for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month. 

Kris Gilchrist and Michael Jamieson, who are based in Paris and Bath respectively, are attached to the University Club and join Jones for training sessions whenever they are home in Scotland. Delhi-bound Kerry Buchan, Louise Pate and Kathryn Johnstone are all full-timers in the capital. 

For Buchan, the new set-up really has been a wonderful opportunity to revitalise her career and put her on course for a tilt at making the GB team for London 2012. Her bid to make the 2008 Olympics in Beijing was thwarted by illness and the after-effects of a car crash suffered just before the final trials.  

Following the deep disappointment, the Aberdeenshire girl gave up the sport for several months and might have quit altogether.  

“But I moved to Edinburgh about a year ago and a new coach, new squad and new facilities offered me an unbelievable chance,” said the 23-year-old, who also competed for Scotland and reached the breaststroke final at the 2006 Commonwealths in Melbourne. 

“I would love to medal in Delhi and London 2012 is now very much one of my goals. At one stage, I wasn’t sure if I would continue. But now I really want to do it and not have any regrets.” 

If Scotland’s swimmers are looking for hi-tech equipment to help them pursue the dream, then the University is the place to be. With great assistance from the University’s Director of Sport, Jim Aitken, the programme is now undoubtedly one of the best in the country. 

“Obviously, I was aware that when City of Edinburgh folded there was a huge gap in Scottish swimming and the University was there to help fill it,” said Jones. “We set up in November 2008, and I now work with a squad of 18. It has been a fantastic opportunity.” 

The swimmers train at the St Leonard’s pool where there are underwater video cameras and an aquatic research department and one of Jones’ assistants is the former City of Edinburgh sprint specialist, David Leith, who competed in three Commonwealth Games.  

For the out of pool training the squad use the University’s state of the art facilities at the Centre of Sport and Exercise in the Pleasance. This summer, the Duke of Edinburgh opened the CSE’s wonderful new gym complex. 

“Everything we need is on hand,” added Jones. “Physiotherapists, psychologists, biomechanic analysis and all the land training equipment we could ask for is on site. We couldn’t really ask for anything better.” 

Pate, who has just graduated with a degree in sports science, is another for whom the set-up popped up at just the right time.  The 21-year-old butterfly specialist, who began swimming with Heart of Midlothian, has been full-time all summer and will decide on her longer term plans post Delhi. 

Johnstone, a 50m breaststroker, freely admits she was “quite surprised” to make the Games’ side. But she is determined to make the most of her chance, and is looking to improve on her 100m time so she can expand her future options.  

“Since I joined the University, I’ve knocked three seconds off my personal best,” said the Cowdenbeath youngster.  “So the longer distance is getting a lot better.” 

In fact, her improvement reflects the progress made by Jones and Edinburgh University Swimming.  It’s a programme that’s getting bigger, better and stronger. Now he and the rest of the squad can’t wait for the refurbished Commonwealth Pool to reopen. Hopefully, it will be early in 2012 – it has already been designated as the GB team’s holding camp for the London Olympics.

EB

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