New pool allows champion swimmer to train locally

The long road towards winning a medal at the World Down"s Syndrome Swimming Championships just got shorter for 15-year-old Trim star Eleanor Murray who this week announced that she has set up her training camp at Aura Trim Leisure Centre. The talented swimmer had been clocking up the miles and the hours travelling to swimming pools in Dublin in order to stay on the winning track but is now delighted to be preparing on home ground to defend her two world titles. Her decision has created great excitement among the staff and members at Aura Trim who have joined forces to share their expertise and experience with the teenager who is training to defend her title as the current world champion in the 100 and 200 front-crawl disciplines. Her performance at the 2008 championships was hugely instrumental in helping Team Ireland to finish fifth overall from a total of 23 competing teams, and Eleanor has now established herself as a key team member. 'We are thrilled that Eleanor has decided to base herself at Aura Trim. She is a very talented swimmer. Her success at the fourth World Down"s Syndrome Swimming Championships showed what she is capable of achieving and we have great hopes that she can emulate that success at the next year"s World Championships in Taiwan,' said Adrian Harrison, operations manager at Aura Trim Leisure Centre. 'Damien Smith, our fitness instructor, has already put a detailed training programme together for Eleanor which draws on his expertise in diet, nutrition, weight management, toning and conditioning. It will play a big part in improving her strength and stamina,' he added. 'Our members are also lending their support. One member, John Fox, has volunteered to share his expertise in swimming and Eleanor is now training in our 25 metre pool for 45 minutes three mornings a week under his guidance, while also managing to fit in another training session at weekends,' he said. Eleanor"s mother, Elizabeth, who is a teacher at St Mary"s Primary School in Trim, believes that the opening of Aura Trim has been a big factor in helping her daughter to improve her swimming times, apart from providing a much welcome alternative to having to travel to Dublin. 'We were delighted when Aura Trim opened this year. Eleanor loves the fact that she only has to pop down to the centre and that her training is based in the town. It has had a positive impact on her training. Her swim times are improving and she is enjoying the support and camaraderie at Aura,' said Mrs Murray. Meanwhile, Aura Trim has reduced its family swim rates from €21 to 415 for the months of July and August.