Hannah Miley
Hannah Miley is throwing her support behind the British Gas SwimBritain campaign, which is continuing to try to get more people into the pool.
Miley will also be representing Scotland this summer at the Commonwealth Games, where she is looking to defend her 400 Individual Medley title.
We caught up with her to chat about SwimBritain and what shape she is in, as we get closer to the Commonwealth Games.
- You getting behind British Gas SwimBritain, so can you tell me a little bit about the campaign and how people can get involved?
The campaign is to get awareness of the support that British Gas has given swimming; the SwimBritain campaign was created to get more people swimming more often creating a healthier nation.
You can get involved by signing up a team to www.swimbritain.co.uk. There are lots of venues hosting the Swimbritain event throughout Great Britain between August and September so check out the website to find your nearest one!
I’ll be taking part in the one held at Tollcross in Glasgow on the 28th September.
- For people who are going to be taking part in SwimBritain, what tips can you give the swimmers getting ready for the event?
Try and get to your local pool and get in to swim as often as you can. Doesn't have to be long but the more you get in the water the more confident and easier it feels being in the water.
Keep hydrated you can dehydrate quite a lot in swimming so make sure you always take a drinks bottle filled up with juice whenever you head to the pool
- How important is it that as many people as possible learn to swim? And what are the health benefits of getting into the pool?
It is really important a statistic came through recently stating that on 40% of children who leave primary school don't know how to swim.
Being around water can be very dangerous if the individual is unable to swim. The more people we can get to learn to swim (at any age) the safer we can make the nation when near water.
We are always surrounded by water whether that’s in lakes or the sea or being at a water park water is everywhere!
On the other side the health benefits from swimming is massive. It’s not load bearing so there is little impact on your joints so you can still move and exercise with minimal risk of injury and pain to your joints.
You have to work and use your whole body to swim so it can essentially be a whole body workout!
- We are now just a few weeks away from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, so how would you sum up your form ahead of the Games?
Things are going really well at the moment, trying to maintain good health and stay injury free. That’s the main thing.
There isn't much time left now leading into Glasgow so for me know it’s just honing my skills and making sure my technique and fitness is where it needs to be.
There are a few competitions coming up but I will be training through them and focusing on key points that I will have discussed with my coach. But to sum it up I’d say it’s going great!
- What do you feel needs to be done between now and the summer to be at your best? In addition, how does your training regime/plan change as the Games get closer?
I need to maintain what I'm doing and not change anything too drastically; there isn't any point to change things now.
All the hard work is in the bank so it’s all about maintenance and fine-tuning
- What are your major goals for the Commonwealth Games this summer? And who do you think are going to be your major competition?
My major goal will be to defend my 400IM title! I'll need to see the final listing nearer the time to see who all will be swimming the 400IM but at the moment, my main competition will be Aimee Wilmott from England she's ranked this year no.2 in the World and no.1 in the Commonwealth so it'll be a great race going head to head with her
- You won the 400m Individual Medley gold in 2010, but how do you feel that you have improved as a swimmer between now and then?
The 400IM in Delhi 2010 was an interesting experience, it was difficult circumstances, and the time I won it in wasn't great! Goes to show that even thought my time was pretty rubbish it was all about the race and survival.
So many things were difficult in Delhi that in Glasgow will seem a breeze and a walk in the park. No risk of Delhi belly in Glasgow.
Many swimmers came down with that during racing in 2010 so I look to be able to improve on my time from then significantly.
I do feel that I have improved and matured more as an athlete I have four more years of experience I've experienced a home games so I know how to manage and handle a home crowd. I'm really looking forward to it
- You will be representing Scotland at the Games, so how excited are you about being able to swim in front of a home crowd?
Really excited the pool is quite a close environment I’m looking forward to hearing how loud it’s going to be, something special hearing people chant your name and cheer you on.
You know when you go to race you're doing it for them as well as yourself. Give them something to really cheer about.
- The last time we spoke, it was a year out from the 2012 London Olympics, so how would you sum up London 2012 for you?
2012 was a great year the Olympics as a whole was a wonderful experience and I really enjoyed them. I know the results wasn't what the public or British swimming had hoped for but for us we went in fighting and we performed the best that we could.
We can’t control the outcome of our competitors only what we can do and if that’s good enough to get a medal then that’s a bonus!
After the Olympics, it gave me a lot of time to sit and think and what did I want from my swimming career. It gave me the motivation to cover everything possible that I leave no stone unturned and give it my all for the next 4 years
- The British swimming team did come in for a bit of criticism after the London Games, but how is Team GB two years away from Rio 2016?
British swimming is in a good place, we've gone through many changes, and we will have to wait and see based on the results to see if the changes have been effective in creating medal-winning swims.
- Finally, what's in the pipeline for you before and after the Commonwealth Games?
After the Games I will be taking part in the SwimBritain event on the 28th September and continue with my training for World championships next year.
I'm keeping my options open and seeing what’s out there. I've not really got anything set in stone once the Games are done really.
Hannah Miley is taking part in British Gas SwimBritain this summer, a campaign to create a healthier nation and get more people swimming more regularly.
To find out more about venues and register your interest, go to swimbritain.co.uk.