University Of Edinburgh Looks As Though It Could Be A Future Hub For World Class Training

New Recruits

• Mark Tully – 4th 2014 Commonwealth Games 50m breaststroke
• Roby Lamont – Semifinalist 50m backstroke 2014 Commonwealth Games
• Jack Ness – Semifinalist 50m backstroke 2014 Commonwealth Games
• Lucy Hope – 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle relay swimmer
• Geoffrey Butler – 1500m freestyler from Cayman Islands
• Craig Bowman – 4th 100m fly Jr. European Championships
• James Clegg – S12 100m fly bronze medallist 2012 London Olympics
• Raquel Matos – Scottish Institute of Sport Athlete
• Gillian Clark – Scottish Institute of Sport Athlete
• Rachel Sharples
• Patrick McGlauchlan

Developmental Group Recruits

• Finlay Williamson
• Scott McArthur
• Danny Kirkham
• Donny Price
• Simran Wilkes
• Chris McColm
• Jenny Henderson
• Emma Crawford

After the success Scottish and English swimmers had at the Commonwealth Games this summer, there’s no doubt that swimming in the United Kingdom is on the rise and the University of Edinburgh’s new restructured program is looking to be a hub of some of the best swimmers in the region.

The program, which swims out of Edinburgh, Scotland, has added massive recruits this year to boost an already impressive repertoire of top-notch swimmers. The program, which was started from scratch in 2008 with a lot of help from current head coach Chris Jones, has begun to attract some of the best from the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

This summer, the University of Edinburgh team had one swimmer medal at the Commonwealth Games with the likes of Corrie Scott in the 50m breaststroke. The Edinburgh chemistry major was able to post a time of 30.75 to come close to both silver medallist Alia Atkinson of Jamaica and eventual victor Leiston Pickett.

Calum Tait was another impressive breaststroker out of Edinburgh who managed to earn a spot in finals at Commonwealths in the 200m breaststroke.

With some clear success, Edinburgh picked up some of Scotland’s best up-and-comers for the 2014-2015 season including Mark Tully. Tully is one of the many young Scottish swimmers rising the ranks, especially in his speciality, the breaststroke. Tully picked up a fourth place finish this summer at Commonwealths in the 50m breaststroke after finishing just one one-hundredth shy of a bronze medal touching the wall in 27.47 to Christian Sprenger’s 27.46.

Tully is one of the swimmers that coach Matt Trodden’s brought to the program after it was announced that Trodden would be appointed as the assistant head coach at Edinburgh.

Trodden spent six years with the East Lothian Swim Team before joining the Edinburgh squad. His expertise will definitely be a huge development in creating a world-class swim program as he’s already had success producing swimmers on a global level.

James Clegg, who will be following Trodden to Edinburgh, swam with him beforehand and under his tutelage was able to earn himself a bronze medal in the S12 100 fly at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

With Trodden’s success as well as that of head coach Chris Jones who served as a member of the coaching staff for the Scottish team at Commonwealths, the possibility of bettering an already impressive program is extremely possible. Add coach Mark Jaggs into the mix who heads the development group and there’s three bright coaches leading the Edinburgh squad.

With this it raises eyes as to whether or not Edinburgh might be able to become a hub for world-class athletes and become a college powerhouse like that of Cal in the United States. Edinburgh currently dominates college competitions across Scotland and the United Kingdom, so with the continued development of the program under the eyes of Jones, it could bring with it a  club with such tenacity.