Benson hoping for stroke of success as he eyes Games
LIVINGSTON swimmer Craig Benson believes he is set to make a splash in the senior ranks after claiming a hat-trick of medals at the Sainsbury's UK School Games.
The 16-year-old was in fine form at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre and got the ball rolling with gold in the 200 metre breaststroke, touching in at 2:26.02 minutes.
The James Young High School pupil completed his medal haul with silver in the 100m breaststroke, sharing the prize with Nicholas Cook after the pair both finished in 1:07.40mins, and with bronze in the 400m medley team race representing Scotland South and East.
This was Benson's last year of competing at the UK School Games and he admitted the next challenge is to repeat the feat at a higher level.
"I am absolutely delighted to come home with a medal. This really is a dream come true," he said.
"This is my last year at this level so it was important that I came away with something because it gives me confidence for the higher age groups.
"I was here two years ago but I didn't do all that well so to make up for it now is massive for me.
"It is important for me to win here but I know now I need to repeat what I do as a junior as a senior and I am determined to do it after this.
"It was tough out there, don't get me wrong, but I am just so happy to have come out on top and to have gold around my neck because it gives me confidence for senior competitions."
The breaststroke specialist is currently behind Kris Gilchrist and Michael Jamieson in the pecking order for Scottish swimming.
But the Warrender Baths Swimming Club starlet insists he has not giving up hope of representing his country in a major competition – with his sights set on squeezing in London 2012 contention.
"I honestly believe London 2012 is not out of my reach," he added. "The aim has to be to represent your country at an Olympics – if not 2012 then I definitely hope to make the step up by 2016.
"Sandwiched in between that is the Commonwealths in Glasgow and that would be a real honour to represent Scotland in a home games."
The Sainsbury's UK School Games is managed by the Youth Sport Trust, a charity that works with more than 450 school sport partnerships across the country to improve the PE and school sport experience for all young people.
For more information visit www.youthsporttrust.org
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bathgate
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: West
