Scholars Olivia Breen, Siobhan-Marie O'Connor and Savannah Marshall impress at weekend
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 24/03/17 12:08pm
It was a weekend of delight for three Sky Academy Sports Scholars as the pressure builds with just over two months to Rio.
A toe injury seems to be a distant memory for Paralympian Olivia Breen who produced a strong performance in the T38 100m at the Loughborough International on Sunday.
The 19-year-old, recently selected for the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100m relay at the IPC European Championships in June in Italy, was third with a personal best of 13.37s having worked hard during the winter on strength and endurance.
Breen said: "I am so happy to have opened my 100m season with a PB (Personal Best). I felt in the best shape I have ever been in going into a race after my extra 400m training.
"I was really nervous before the start as I love the 100m and it was really important to me to start 2016 with a good time. I was disappointed with my bad start. Officials were holding people in the blocks for ages which resulted in a lot of false starts.
"When you have cerebral palsy being held in the blocks is really hard because you become more wobbly. The starter was also really quiet which was hard for everyone but especially because I am deaf.
"Despite the bad start I kept my focus through each stage of the race and was delighted to reduce my PB. It's not a huge reduction but I know I can reduce this further with a better start.
"Life has become really, really busy and Rio now seems really close - exciting times."
Rising pool star Siobhan-Marie O'Connor showed no signs of slowing down at the weekend at the European Championships in London having already bagged silver in the 200m individual medley and gold in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
The 20-year-old from Bath linked up with ex-Scholar Fran Halsall, Chloe Tutton and Kathleen Dawson to storm to gold in the 4x100m medley relay as Team GB ended the week on a high having won the most medals (22) at the event, including seven golds, six silvers and nine bronzes.
O'Connor, whose 57.69s in her butterfly leg helped the quartet beat the second-placed Italians by over two seconds, said: "I had a great time at the Europeans. It was amazing to race in front of the home crowd again and the support was fantastic.
"I was really happy to come away with two golds and a silver and to swim a season's best in my 200IM. It's a great confidence boost leading into the summer and I'm really excited for the next few months.
"We're all on such a high now. There's lots of confidence within the team."
Boxer Savannah Marshall turned on the style again in Kazakhstan at the World Championships and is one win away from qualifying for the Olympics.
Having beaten Elena Vystropova in the first round, the 25-year-old from Hartlepool eased past India's Pooja Rani and now needs to overcome China's Qian Li on Tuesday to make the semi-finals and guarantee her spot in Brazil.
WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS
19-27 MAY: Savannah Marshall, World Championships in Kazakhstan
27 MAY: Lucy Garner, Boels Hills Classic
29 MAY: Lucy Garner, Gooik
10-16 JUNE: IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto, Italy
23-26 JUNE: Lucy Garner, National Road Cycling Championships in Stockton-on-Tees
