My First Ever Official Races....

Last Sunday I got to race officially for the first time at our Club Championships. As I am still only 8 I could only enter the 25m races but I was really excited to be properly timed in a real competition. When we got there, the club records for each race had been published in the programme and I could see what the existing records were for my first two races - 25m breaststroke and 25m butterfly. Simone and my coaches always say that you should race against your time not the person next to you, so I decided that as I didn't have a time yet, I was going to race against the record times...And guess what...

I beat them both!!!!

For 25m breaststroke the old record was 29.22 - my time was 24.46 

For 25m butterfly the old record was 31.16 - my time was 23.20

My next races are on the 7 December - when I will be dong 25m front crawl, 25m back stroke and 100m Individual Medley.....I will let you know how I get on.

Love Oliver 

In the News...

Hi Everyone
Here's the links to some of the stories about me winning Young Swimmer of the Year
http://www.frometimes.co.uk/?p=2682
http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Oliver-wins-award-prowess-pool/story-17179431-detail/story.html
and if you want to see the write up in the British Swimming web site it's here....
http://www.swimming.org/asa/news/swimming/the-kelloggs-asa-swimtastic-awards-continue-the-olympic-glow/15339/
Had a great swim tonight - got to time my freestyle and breast stroke. In the pool again 7.30 am tomorrow for more training with Finlay.
See you all soon
Love Oliver

THE BEST WEEKEND EVER!

On Saturday I won the Kellogg's ASA 2012 Swimtastic Young Swimmer of the Year Award - I spent the weekend up in Sheffield at a special award event and got to meet lots of my swimming heroes.

Me with the lovely Hannah Miley who presented my trophy

It was a long drive to Sheffield and we had to leave really early in the morning - but it was worth it. On Saturday afternoon I had a 'Swim with the Stars' session and I got to play water polo, do swimming races and have fun with Olympic and Paralympic Athletes. Daddy even had to to some synchronised swimming - he wasn't very good! Mummy has it on video!

After the swim I got my picture taken with lot of the athletes - here's me with Ellie Simmonds - she let Finlay and I wear her Olympic Gold Medals.

I also met the paralympic world record holder and gold medallist Josef Craig (he let me wear his medal too) he told me all about what it was like to race at the Olympics and how he prepared for his record breaking swim. He's 15 - the same age that I will be when the 2020 Olympics are on. He was really nice.

After the swimming we got to meet all the athletes -  there were lots there from swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and water polo -like Kerri Anne Payne, David Carry, Nick Robinson Baker, Jazz Carlin and James Goddard to name a few. I've got a full autograph book now! They were all so friendly and told me lots of things about what it's like to be an athlete.

Then it was time to get changed for the awards dinner. I had a new shirt, tie and waistcoat to wear. When we arrived everyone looked really smart and I even got to hold a real Olympic Torch which one of the other finalists had brought along.

Then we were called into the ceremony - the whole room was dark with twinkling lights on the walls and ceiling. I had my name on table number 2 and there were lots of goodies on the table too - badges and a cuddly elephant called Trunks. We had the Olympic diver Monique Gladding on our table and her coach - they were both really nice and told us lots of stories about the Olympics and what it's like to be a diver. I was really nervous when the awards were being announced as the other finalists had done really well too. I couldn't believe it when Steve Parry called out my name. There was a spot light on me all the way as I walked up to the massive stage - it was a long way. Hannah Miley presented me with my award - it was amazing!

After getting the award I had to go and do lots of TV and radio interviews and have my picture taken. I stayed up until 11 o clock. My interviews were on the BBC and ITV news on Sunday and Monday - lots of people saw it. My Headmistress and Teacher were so surprised that they told me they were screaming at the TV when I came on. Lots people also heard me and mummy on BBC Radio Somerset yesterday - if you missed it you can listen again on line - here's the link (it's about 24 minutes in) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zd0tz\

There's lots more things going on this week and I will let you know how I get on. I hope to get a recording of the TV interviews - if I do I will let you know.

What a great week. Love Oliver

One More Sleep....

There's only one more sleep to go until the 2012 Swimtastic Awards - I am so excited.  Finlay and I  have both got a new shirt, tie and waistcoat to wear to the awards dinner - they look really cool.  I wonder which famous swimmers I will get to swim with?

Here's the link to the British Swimming Page that tells you about me and the other two finalists in the Young Swimmer of the Year Category, I wonder if the others are feeling excited about tomorrow too? http://www.swimming.org/asa/news/swimming/the-kelloggs-asa-swimtastic-awards-2012-countdown-thursday2/15280/

I was in the paper again this week, they ran a story about me being a finalist - you can see the story here  http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Boy-7-meet-stars-swimming-Channel/story-17111791-detail/story.html

So please keep your fingers doubly crossed for me tomorrow I will let you know how I get on, or if you like you can listen to mummy and me talking about it all on BBC Radio Somerset at 6.55am! on Monday morning (Mummy says to let you know that you can listen to this live on line if you want to!)

More soon, Love Oliver

AND NOW FOR THE NATIONAL NEWS....

Hello Everyone
I've had a really exciting week following the Heart of Somerset Awards. I've had so many people sending their congratulations - thank you everyone. I was in the paper this week too, the story is on line here and if you use the scroll bar on the pictures you can see the one of me and my award plus the group one with Valerie Singleton. http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Heroes-heart-Somerset-honoured/story-17033923-detail/story.html 
Just when we thought it couldn't get better..... I had a surprise letter.... it said that I am a finalist for the ASA Swimtastic Young Swimmer of the Year award. This is a National award, Simone and Mummy say it's a big deal, it means I'm in the top three in the country. And Mummy, Daddy, Finlay and I get to go for a special weekend in Sheffield for the event. First I get a big fun swim with lots of Olympic and Paralympic Swimmers and then in the evening we have to dress up very smart and go to a big dinner to see which of the finalists will be the winner. There will be another film about me swimming for everyone to see. It's so exciting, I can't quite believe it. I have to go and buy something new to wear. It's only 2 weeks away on 20 October, I can't wait.
I will let you know how I get on and in the meantime I will keep swimming my best.
Lots of Love Oliver

I WON TODAY!

Hi Everyone
It's been a really exciting today - I won the Outstanding Young Person Award in the Heart of Somerset Awards 2012. I went with Mummy and Daddy to a special awards ceremony at Wookey Hole Caves. There were loads of really great people who had done brave and inspiring things. I was really surprised to win my category, I didn't think I would.
They played the video of me swimming and I was really pleased that my swimming looked really cool with the underwater camera. I got to take home two framed certificates and also won £100! Everyone knew who I was today, it was like being famous.
I met Valerie Singleton too, she was doing all the talking on stage. Daddy said she was like Helen Skelton on Blue Peter when he was little. She was very friendly.
Well done to everyone who was at the awards today, I really enjoyed hearing all the stories about the kind and brave things people in Somerset had done.
I really need Daddy to put me up a special trophy shelf now!!
Love Oliver

I'm a Finalist in the Heart of Somerset Awards

Hello Everyone
We had a great surprise this week - I found out that I'm a finalist in the "Outstanding Young Person' category of the Heart of Somerset Awards run by the Mid Somerset series of papers. On Wednesday, a film company is coming to interview me and to video me swimming. They are making a film about me to play at the award ceremony which is being held on 26 September at Wookey Hole. They are going to talk to me and mummy and Simone my swimming teacher. Mummy has told me not to ride my bike fast as I keep falling off on the gravel and making grazes on my tummy which could show up on the video and my front tooth is loose - I'm not allowed to wiggle it until after Wednesday too!
I also had a great time last week when Finlay and I went for our first training session with Frome Swimming Club - we swam for the whole 2 hour session! Finlay was really tired but I though it was really good fun. We got to dive off the starting blocks and everything. We're going again tomorrow, I can't wait. I will let you know how we get on and how the filming goes - keep your fingers crossed!
Lots of love Oliver