Four-time Paralympic Champion Ellie Simmonds and four-time European Champion Andrew Mullen have moved their training base to the British Para-Swimming National Performance Centre in Manchester.
With 18 months until the Rio Paralympic Games the pair have decided to re-focus their training in order to get the best out of their preparations for the biggest sporting event in the calendar.
Simmonds and Mullen will begin training in Manchester under the guidance of Head Coach Rob Greenwood and National Coach Graeme Smith.
Simmonds, who won double gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, said: “Having spent a very productive 18 months at Loughborough with my coach Steve Bayley, we both agree that it is now time for me to move into the next phase of my preparations for the Rio Paralympics.
“In order to do this I will be moving to the National Performance Centre in Manchester.
“I would like to thank Steve for the superb coaching and all the staff for their help, advice and support during my time at Loughborough.”
Mullen commented: “The opportunity to move to the National Performance Centre has come at the right time for me. I feel that this new environment is what I require to take my swimming to an even higher level in the build up to Rio 2016.
“I’m really excited about working with the team in Manchester, both staff and athletes. I’m sure together we will be able to produce some great performances in the future.
“A massive thank you has to go to my home programme coach Andy Jackson. He mentored and coached me from being an age group swimmer to the swimmer I am today and I shall always be thankful of this.”
National Performance Director Chris Furber believes the athletes will be boosted by the dedicated support that is offered at the National Performance Centre.
“We welcome Ellie and Andrew to the National Performance Centre and I know that they will thrive in the environment,” Furber said. “It’s now under 500 days to go until Rio and both of the swimmers will benefit from what is now a world leading set-up in terms of staffing and infrastructure.”
“The National Performance Centre offers them the opportunity to be surrounded by other swimmers that are working towards the same events and in a programme that is focused on their individual needs.”
“I want to thank both Steve Bayley and Andy Jackson for their professionalism, dedication and hard work with the swimmers. I know that they have built excellent foundations for the athletes to continue to develop from.”
Swimming News is courtesy of British Swimming.
