The Northside Aquatics Centre outdoor pool, San Antonio, Texas in 100 degree heat was the venue for the Deaf World Swimming Championships last month.
Unlike their Olympic and Paralympic counterparts Great Britain’s top Deaf athletes receive no government funding and so have to raise all the money themselves to represent their country at international events.
The 14 swimmers were selected by head coach Sam Chamberlain as he hoped to compete against the fully financed eastern European teams from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine who dominate Deaf sport.
One of Britain’s best hopes of medals came from 20 year old Jack McComish who twice stood proudly on the podium winning bronze medals in both the 400 Freestyle and 400 Individual Medley. Jack added a third bronze as part of the Mixed 4 x 100 freestyle team along with Tom Baxter (22) Emily Noden (18) and 19 year Danielle Joyce. Although competing in her first World Championships, it was Danielle who was most successful for Team GB with outstanding performances in the backstroke events where she collected a full set of medals winning gold in the 100 metres, silver in the 50 metres and bronze in the 200 metres. As if that wasn’t enough she added the Deaf World Record in the 100 metres event and was narrowly denied in the 50 metres where both she and the gold medallist broke the World Record.
The GB team finished a creditable seventh in the medals table and have two years to train for the next Deaflympics which will be held in Samsun, Turkey in July 2017.
The full GB Team was James Webster (23), Tom Baxter (22), Jack McComish (20), Luke Nisted (19), Oliver Kenny (18), Nathan Young (16), Kieran Holdbrook (16), Matthew Oaten (16), Danielle Joyce (19), Emily Noden (18), Lucy Walkup (18), Polly Saines (16), Jasmine Seamarks (15) and Ciara Tappenden (14) Coach Sam Chamberlain and Team Manager Mel Davis.
