2008 YEAR OF THE DRAGON FOR BEIJING HOPEFULS?
As the Chinese New Year of the Rat is ushered in across the four corners of the globe (7th February) , Wales’ Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls will have their hopes pinned on transforming it into the Year of the Dragon as they today looked to their own preparations for the Beijing Games later this year.
Paralympic swim star Nyree Lewis was joined by her Paralympic stablemate Nathan Stephens and Olympic middle-distance athletics hopeful Steve Davies at Ba Orient Dim Sum restaurant in Cardiff Bay, on the eve of the eastern celebrations.
And the trio attempted to get a head start in the game as they were treated to an early taster of Chinese life by sampling traditional Chinese dishes and learning a selection of Mandarin phrases in anticipation of selection for the greatest of multi-sport events.
In 2004, Nyree Lewis returned home from the Athens Paralympics as the most successful British female swimmer. The Porth 27-year-old captured two golds, two silvers and a bronze.
Now the Hereford-based swimmer is gunning to book her Team GB berth for her third Games:
“Being the most successful female swimmer in 2004 does make me feel some pressure for Beijing. However, I will be unable to compete in the same events as the relays have been taken out of the programme and I am unsure of which events I will qualify in too. I will be working harder than ever before to try and retain my backstroke title and try to win medals in as many events as I can.
And she is certainly looking forward to competing in the National Aquatics Centre, which has been dubbed the Water Cube:
“The Water Cube looks amazing in the pictures and to compete there will be the best experience. Although, until we are there, nobody can imagine what kind of Games the Chinese are going to put on. However, based on their past shows such as the One Year to Go Ceremony, I am predicting a Games to remember and never forget.”
Nathan Stephens, meanwhile, is an accomplished shot putter and javelin thrower but he is also skilful on the ice. In 2006, he travelled to Turin for the Winter Paralympics as the youngest member of the sledge hockey team:
“I’ve already been to Turin but this is a totally different sport. Competing individually and not as a team adds more pressure. I went to Hong Kong and Taiwan last year so that helped me to adjust. It was useful to experience the climate and I realised that acclimatisation is something I’ve got to work on. But I’m looking to finish inside the top five in both shot and javelin.”
The Bridgender hopes to make his summer Games debut and, if successful, will battle it out against the best in the world in the National Stadium. Otherwise known as the Bird’s Nest, the landmark facility will house the opening and closing ceremonies, the track and field events as well as the football finals.
Fresh from his return from a warm-weather training stint in South Africa, 23-year-old Steve Davies has his mind set on making his Olympic bow later this year.
And it seems the Caldicot runner is already reaping the benefits of training alongside fellow Beijing middle-distance hopefuls Mo Farah, Nick McCormick and Sam Ellis as he swept to a win in the 1500m at this weekend’s Celtic Indoor Cup at the National Indoor Athletics Centre (NIAC) in Cardiff (Feb 3rd).
But clocking a time of 3:51.11 on the NIAC track has left Davies in no doubt about the standard he must reach to be in contention for an Olympic spot.
“I know I've got to improve my PB significantly and be running around 3.36 minutes - I'm under no illusion it's a huge goal. To make the Olympics would be a huge thrill and my ultimate dream but I don't want to just make the team - I want to perform in Beijing and justify my selection.
"That experience would be fantastic and give me loads to build on for London in 2012, which remains my ultimate goal."
After Wales returned home from the Athens Paralympic Games as the most successful nation on a per capita basis, the nation has come to expect great things of our elite athletes with a disability. And with a new crop of talent coming to the fore across both the Olympic and Paralympic contingents four years later, hopes are high for a “Xian Nien Quai Le” (Happy New Year) in 2008.
For more information, please contact Jane Williams on 029 2033 8274 / jane.williams@scw.org.uk or Lynette Evans on 029 2033 8273 lynette.evans@scw.org.uk
