After taking a much needed break Caitlin McClatchey is looking forward to her future in Edinburgh, both in the water and in the classroom.
McClatchey surprised herself in London placing seventh in the 200 freestyle and and fifth in both the 4 x 100 freestyle relay and 4 x 200 freestyle relay, “During 2010-2011 I had a terrible time battling frequent illness, injury and I did not see myself making the Olympic Team in 2012,” McClatchey told SwimSwam.
“I moved groups to train with Ian Armiger, I started to train better and had my most consistent year of racing ever in 2012. I was really pleased to make three finals in London.”
After the Olympics Armiger moved to the Cayman Islands to lead their swimming program and McClatchey made the decision to pursue a masters degree in performance psychology. It was because of those reasons that she felt a new environment was needed and made the move from Loughborough University to the University of Edinburgh to continue her pursuit towards the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“I have joined University of Edinburgh swim team, coached by Chris Jones,” said McClatchey.
“The University of Edinburgh team is great, some very talented swimmers coming through and there is a great team unity. Everyone has made me feel very welcome and I am excited to be part of such a fantastic group of athletes.”
“In addition I have started a Masters Degree at the University of Edinburgh in Performance Psychology.”
McClatchey’s boyfriend Liam Tancock will be staying in Loughborough to train with James Gibson.
She is extremely excited to have the possibility of representing her country on home soil at the 2014 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow, “It’s going to be very exciting training in Scotland over the next two years with a home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow fast approaching.”
“I have been so fortunate to compete at a home Olympics, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to potentially compete at a home Commonwealth Games too. It’s a fantastic time for sport in Britain at the moment, I feel very lucky that its all going on during my swimming career let alone my lifetime.”
The three time British Olympian is no stranger to success at the Commonwealth Games; in 2006 when the games were held in Melbourne, Australia McClatchey won gold in both the 200 and 400 freestyle events.
McClatchey told the BBC at the conclusion of the Olympics that ‘I think it might be my last Olympic Games’, it now appears that she has changed her mind telling SwimSwam that her goal is to make a fourth Olympic team, “I’m aiming for my fourth Olympics and am determined to try and get the one international medal I haven’t got yet, an Olympic medal.”
“I also believe British Swimming has such great potential and its a team that I feel very proud and honoured to be a part of.”
Longseeker, Dillinger (as far as i know) doesn’t have any tattoos. you must be thinking of tony cox.
Was the title for this story written by the Department of Redundancy Department? 😉
Hi Morgan!
Cal Fan who has seen every meet this year at Berkeley. Is it just I who feels that the NCAA’s are going to be “crazy” in the upcoming weeks? I have been following the performances in the major conferences and times are becoming “giddy” and we haven’t even had all the Conference Championships yet!
Anyhow, I have a concern for my Cal Bears. Both breaststrokes Hoyt and Higgins are not (yet) getting their times down to a point where I feel they can contribute like they did last year. With Hoyt, it’s like he is playing possum. He seems a happy camper is all smiles before his events, but the times are not what I thought they would… Read more »