Swimming: Rock set to roll on Olympic stage

Oct 19 2007 by Alex Bell, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL already has one Olympic swimming medal winner. And now Allerton athlete Michael Rock is within touching distance of not only repeating but bettering the achievements of Merseyside’s Olympic bronze medallist Stephen Parry.

According to his Stockport- based coach Sean Kelly, 20-year- old Rock, a butterfly specialist, from Falkirk Road, has all the attributes to swim at the highest level on the world stage.

Rock, who swims for Stockport Metro and, is currently on a year out from his law degree to focus solely on qualification for the Great Britain squad due to compete at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The trials take place in March next year and will decide his dream of bidding for Olympic glory.

Coach Kelly says he has an excellent chance of not only making the squad but could push for a place in the Olympic final.

He has already show what great potential he has after recent success at the ASA National Championships where Rock won both the 100m and 200m butterfly events setting new personal bests of 1.57.38 in the 200m butterfly and 53.09 for the 100m butterfly.

"If he drops his time again, there is a realistic chance of making the final in Beijing," says Kelly.

"His progress has been superb, he is a very talented swimmer."

Some of Sean’s training methods involve work on Michael’s endurance, basic speed and a strength training programme to improve his overall performance.

Sean’s ambition while working with this talented youngster is to have him swimming faster than Athens 2004 bronze medalist,Olympian and former athlete of his, Stephen Parry.

If, in next year’s trials, Michael finishes first in the 100m butterfly there is a chance he may be involved in the men’s relay medley team.

"This would be an amazing experience if he could get to those heights, but more realistically, if the training goes to plan he could be a real threat for London in four years’ time," said Sean.

Next month, Michael is due to fly out to the Gold Coast in Australia with a camp of British swimmers, coaches and sports scientists who all have the aim of Beijing qualification in mind.

The training is expected to be intensive.

Michael told the Daily Post, "We all have the same goals – my main aim is to make the Olympics, that’s what this year is about."

To qualify Michael’s training will be imperative as he has to finish in the top two and achieve an Olympic qualifying time. He must finish inside the time of the swimmer who was ranked 16th in the previous year of the butterfly event.

Michael is currently ranked number one in the UK for 100 and 200m butterfly.

"Last year in the British National Championships I finished inside the top 16.

"The time I have to swim could vary depending on how people swim for the rest of the year," he added.

The results of the 16 fastest times are due to be published in January 2008.

After a month in the gold coast and providing his training is still improving, come January Rock will know what he has to do to set in stone his Olympian status.