SPORT
“I'm always really proud to be from
Middlesbrough, and to call myself a
Boro girl, no matter where I train.”
Ex-Middlesbrough
player John
Hendrie hosted
Aimee Willmott
in the corporate
areas at the
Riverside
Stadium last
season, when
Boro fans
got to see her
Commonwealth
gold medal.
“People underestimate the need for a 50-metre pool. But
all of the major competitions – the Olympics, the World and
European Championships and the Commonwealth Games –
all use them, so to train in the same environment would be a
huge benefit.
“If we had a pool here it would be brilliant for
Middlesbrough and our swimmers, but it could also host
galas and bring in young swimmers from around the region,
which would be a really positive thing for Teesside.
“I do think we'd then see even more success than we're
already seeing here at Middlesbrough Swimming Club.”
Speaking of which, we meet Willmott at the Neptune
Centre in Berwick Hills, where the freshly-minted
Commonwealth gold medallist and Olympian started out.
“I'm always really proud to be from Middlesbrough, and
to call myself a Boro girl, no matter where I train,” said
Willmott, who currently trains in Scotland.
“The support I always get from the people of
Middlesbrough, wherever I'm training or competing, is
fantastic.
“When I was at the Gold Coast, there was so many
messages flooding through and social media posts – people
asking me when I'm going to have a celebratory parmo, and when
will I be on the pitch at Boro – it was really nice to have such a
huge support network here in Middlesbrough and Teesside.
“Every time I come home I have access to the Neptune Centre
and the facilities here with Middlesbrough Swimming Club, so it's
always nice to know I'll be part of this club, no matter where I am.
“The guys here have helped me all the way through and that has
pushed me throughout my career.”
Willmott won her gold medal in the 400m individual medley
in Australia after a difficult build-up. She’d been forced to move
training bases from London to Stirling and suffered a freak injury
when she slipped and fell on a boat on a British Swimming camp
and underwent knee surgery.
But she held off her old rival, Scot Hannah Miley, for the top
spot.
“Last year was really difficult for me, but because of what had
happened I went into the Commonwealth Games relaxed and
didn't take anything for granted, so it felt that much better when I
was able to step it up when it mattered,” she says.
“It's great to beat an opponent when you've been second to
that swimmer for so many years. When you're competing for
Great Britain there's obviously no rivalry there, but when you're
swimming for England and Scotland in the Commonwealth
Games, and pipping her as a rival rather than a team-mate, it was
nice for me but also to get the gold for England.
“It feels like a long time ago, but it has sunk in a bit. It's really
nice to look back at all the memories of the Gold Coast and
finishing off with a gold medal.”
So what does the future look like for ambitious Aimee?
“I've got the European Championships at the beginning of
August,” she says, with a glint in her eye.
“It would be great to move on again and build on what I
achieved at the Gold Coast. If I could pick up a medal, and edge
towards a gold, that would be great, and if I could lower the time I
swam in Australia.
“I've been working on little things I've picked up on and seeing
how I can improve on those.”
Longer-term, though, Willmott has plans to help nurture young
swimmers and potential future gold medallists.
She said: “I want to stay involved in swimming, and I want to
promote and encourage young swimmers to stay involved and
compete.
“I'm in the process of setting up my own swimming clinic
business, so I can go to different swimming clubs or host events
where swimmers can come along and learn from me and my dad,
who's been an Olympian, because I think there's such a lot of
experience we can give.
“I'm really enthusiastic about the support I've had in the area,
and I want to give that back, so it would be great to remain
involved in the sport in some capacity, and let's see if we can find
another Olympian from Middlesbrough!”
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