"I love it. I love the people I train with and my coach is very inspirational which motivates me to be the best I can be. I love winning"
Name: Annie Brown
Age: 19
Sport: Swimming
Occupation: Student at University Of Bath
Current Club: Team Bath
Previous Clubs: Bristol Henleaze, Thornbury, University of Bath
Representative Honours: British National Championships
Describe a typical training week during the season:
Monday 5.30-7am
Tuesday 5.30-7am & 4.15-6pm
Thursday 4.15-6pm
Friday 4.15-6pm
Saturday 6-8am Training Or competitions are generally both Saturdays & Sundays depending on the meet
At what age did you get involved in your current sport and why did you chose it?
I have been swimming competitively since the age of 8. I chose swimming because I enjoyed it, and I was good at it with some potential from a young age.
Has this always been your sport? What other sports have you been involved in and to what level?
Swimming has always been my main sport as I haven’t had time for anything else because it is so time consuming.
Why do you swim?
I love it. I love the people I train with and my coach is very inspirational which motivates me to be the best I can be. I love winning, which may sound confident, I’m not saying I win all the time because I don’t and that’s unrealistic, but when you do have a good swim it feels amazing, and it’s a way of proving that all the effort was worth it.
What is your favourite part of the sport?
I love sprinting, my main events are 50m Freestyle and 50m Breaststroke.
What is the hardest part about the sport?
Sometimes it takes a really long time to see the effects of positive training when you race. That is the most frustrating part because you know you've been doing all of the training and preparing in all the right ways but it just doesn't show in your times and results.
Are there any particular barriers you have faced? How did you overcome them?
I’ve had a couple of injuries to my shoulder and back, but through physio and a slight change in my training regime these quickly repaired themselves. The biggest barrier for me is my mental attitude. Sometimes I find it hard to be determined at competitions, and this therefore is a massive barrier to my performance. My parents and I started to send a text to each other every morning that was a positive outlook for the day. This may sound weird, but it really helped my positive attitude and hopefully had a positive effect on my competition performance.
Has your sport given you any further opportunities?
I am a level 2 swimming coach and I help to coach the younger swimmers at my swimming club. I compete with the University swim team.
What is your best experience within your sport and what has your sport taught you?
Competing at nationals last year and being the 2nd fastest 18 year old. It has taught me that anything can happen if you put your mind to it.
What is your favourite moment from being involved in your sport?
Competing in a national final.
Any advice for people who are considering getting involved in your sport?
It might take a while but if you put the effort in you will see it in the results.
Name: Annie Brown
Age: 19
Sport: Swimming
Occupation: Student at University Of Bath
Current Club: Team Bath
Previous Clubs: Bristol Henleaze, Thornbury, University of Bath
Representative Honours: British National Championships
Describe a typical training week during the season:
Monday 5.30-7am
Tuesday 5.30-7am & 4.15-6pm
Thursday 4.15-6pm
Friday 4.15-6pm
Saturday 6-8am Training Or competitions are generally both Saturdays & Sundays depending on the meet
At what age did you get involved in your current sport and why did you chose it?
I have been swimming competitively since the age of 8. I chose swimming because I enjoyed it, and I was good at it with some potential from a young age.
Has this always been your sport? What other sports have you been involved in and to what level?
Swimming has always been my main sport as I haven’t had time for anything else because it is so time consuming.
Why do you swim?
I love it. I love the people I train with and my coach is very inspirational which motivates me to be the best I can be. I love winning, which may sound confident, I’m not saying I win all the time because I don’t and that’s unrealistic, but when you do have a good swim it feels amazing, and it’s a way of proving that all the effort was worth it.
What is your favourite part of the sport?
I love sprinting, my main events are 50m Freestyle and 50m Breaststroke.
What is the hardest part about the sport?
Sometimes it takes a really long time to see the effects of positive training when you race. That is the most frustrating part because you know you've been doing all of the training and preparing in all the right ways but it just doesn't show in your times and results.
Are there any particular barriers you have faced? How did you overcome them?
I’ve had a couple of injuries to my shoulder and back, but through physio and a slight change in my training regime these quickly repaired themselves. The biggest barrier for me is my mental attitude. Sometimes I find it hard to be determined at competitions, and this therefore is a massive barrier to my performance. My parents and I started to send a text to each other every morning that was a positive outlook for the day. This may sound weird, but it really helped my positive attitude and hopefully had a positive effect on my competition performance.
Has your sport given you any further opportunities?
I am a level 2 swimming coach and I help to coach the younger swimmers at my swimming club. I compete with the University swim team.
What is your best experience within your sport and what has your sport taught you?
Competing at nationals last year and being the 2nd fastest 18 year old. It has taught me that anything can happen if you put your mind to it.
What is your favourite moment from being involved in your sport?
Competing in a national final.
Any advice for people who are considering getting involved in your sport?
It might take a while but if you put the effort in you will see it in the results.