Swimming: Special day off to eat and sleep

By TERRY MADDAFORD

For someone who has trekked to the pool 10 times a week for seven years, Christmas Day promises to be a tad special for Melissa Ingram.

"The biggest bonus is going to bed and knowing I can sleep in," said the 17-year-old, who is also looking forward to a day with her family and the chance, for once, to eat what she likes.

But not for long.

On Boxing Day she will be back to the routine coach Jan Cameron has set to have her cherry-ripe for next month's Australian Olympic Youth Festival.

"Two years ago I swam at the same meet, but really I was only half serious. It was a lot of fun," Ingram said. "This time I want to win."

And so does Cameron. "I want her to win. This is a huge meet heading towards next year's world championships.

"All the swimmers from the big countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, China and Australia will be there."

Two years ago Ingram's name was near the bottom of the ranking lists.

This time she goes in third-ranked in the 100m and 200m backstroke - third in the world among all under-18 swimmers in those events.

Unlike many swimmers who build their fitness and hone their skills solely by swimming up and down, Ingram supplements her pool time with gym sessions and running.

"Going for a 7km run at my pace three times a week is a great break and something I really enjoy," she said. "It's a welcome change from looking at lines at the bottom of the pool or the roof above it."

A pool session can be around the same distance - between 6.5km and 8km - but much more time-consuming. Swimming is all about hard work.

"I've been swimming from the time I was taken to the pool at the age of six months. I started competitive swimming when I was 8 - and haven't stopped."

There have been rewards, like a trip to this year's Commonwealth Games and a swim in the final of the 200m backstroke where she finished just outside her personal best of 2m 14.3s.

There have been some not quite so good times, like missing out on other things she would like to do. But she does not dwell too long on the negatives.

"I had a break after Manchester," Ingram said. "While I enjoyed it, I was happy to get back and into it."

On Thursday, fuelled by a bit of turkey and some Christmas pudding, Melissa Ingram will again be back in the water - her sights set on personal bests and, beyond that, July's world championships in Barcelona.