TWO of the Deben Swimming Club's girls were selected by the Eastern Region to attend a Stroke Analysis Clinic in Bury St Edmunds last week. Emily Prior and Fenella Foskett were included in the top ten British Age Group Categories (BAGCAT) swimmers in each age category to attend a regional development day.

TWO of the Deben Swimming Club's girls were selected by the Eastern Region to attend a Stroke Analysis Clinic in Bury St Edmunds last week.

Emily Prior and Fenella Foskett were included in the top ten British Age Group Categories (BAGCAT) swimmers in each age category to attend a regional development day. Both girls were filmed performing their starts, turns and strokes with the underwater camera, capturing their moves ready for analysis. The swimmers were then given individual CDs to take away and work on with their coach at the club.

The recently appointed regional development coach Mick Hepwood explained that the region's swimmers must develop superior underwater skills to have a chance to move forward and achieve on the world scene.

He said: “The latest technology really lets the coach and swimmer see what's happening underwater. They will be able to see, plan and develop their technique based on visual evidence.

The CD will be of real benefit to swimming clubs as it will provide teachers and coaches with an opportunity to gain understanding of what is happening in the underwater phase of the young developing swimmer in the club.”

Foskett said: “It was a really good experience and hopefully I will be able to improve my strokes with the advice from Mick Hepwood.”

Deben Head Coach Ian Cotton said: “This was a unique opportunity for Fenella and Emily to be filmed underwater and will be very useful to improve their technique during training sessions over the next few weeks. Both girls regularly swim to a high standard and this was a reward for their efforts at the regional championships in 2006, which we hope they will repeat this year.”