Keri-anne Payne admits her Olympic preparations have been hit by the loss of long-time coach Sean Kelly.
Payne looks to London qualification alongside friend Adlington
Keri-anne Payne admits her preparations for the Olympics have been by the sudden loss of her long-time coach Sean Kelly.
Kelly has been hospitalised "for a period of observation and treatment" and will not be attending the British Gas Swimming Championships, which double as the Olympic trials and start on Saturday.
Lars Humer has been appointed as acting head coach but for Payne and the rest of Kelly's Stockport ITC charges, his absence will be very visible.
Payne has been with Kelly for eight years since she joined from Rochdale Aquabears and he has guided her to two world open water titles, in 2009 and 2011, as well as silver in Beijing four years ago.
The 24-year-old has acknowledged the closeness of the relationship between coach and swimmer.
"You learn that trust and I've been with Sean for eight years so we know each other really well.
Bridesmaid
"He can read me really well and I can read him well.
"Everybody has that sort of bond with their coaches."
Payne booked her open water spot with victory in the 10 kilometre race at last year's World Championships in Shanghai.
The Johannesburg-born swimmer will look to make the Great Britain pool team at the event which starts on Saturday.
She will attempt to qualify alongside Olympic champion and best friend Rebecca Adlington - who will be Payne's bridesmaid at her September wedding to fellow swimmer David Carry - in the 800m freestyle as well as the 400m individual medley in which she won her first long-course international medal when she picked up Commonwealth bronze in 2010.
On the prospect of competing with Adlington, Payne said: "That would be amazing, it would be brilliant."
It would also be her first 800m since the 2006 Commonwealth Games after which she eschewed the 16-length race, saying "It's not my event any more."
As to why she had returned to the 800, Payne said: "I'm not really sure.
"It just felt right, it felt the right time to start doing them again.
"The medleys are so tight this year. That is why I am putting my eggs in all the baskets - I really want to make the Olympic team."
Payne has experienced the full spectrum of emotion in the sport, world and Olympic success offset by missing qualification to the 2005 World Championships.
Given she was then still a teenager, the pain must have been intense but
Payne is philosophical.
Pivotal
"All these things happen for a reason so no matter what happens (next week) it will happen for a reason.
"I am glad everything has happened the way it has, it has made me the swimmer I am today."
Payne admits the 2010 Commonwealths were pivotal in her desire to be a pool, as well as open water, swimmer.
"Delhi was a turning point for me because I felt I always had a point to prove for the medley, I knew I could do it.
"I'd always walk around saying I was a medley swimmer even though I was doing open water and I'd still say it now.
"I'd argue with (Olympic finalist) James Goddard about it and Sean would agree with me, I think just to make me happy.
"But deep down I know open water is my main event and that is what I am good at and what I want to do."
