Swimming: Tom and Lucy among world’s best

May 2 2008 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

THE performances of Tom Allen and Lucy Worrall at the British Swimming Olympic Trials have taken on greater significance.

The Chester aces produced the swims of their lives at last month’s Sheffield event to prove why they are two of the most outstanding prospects in the land.

But now they can also lay claim to being among the best young swimmers on the planet.

Upton High School student Tom, 15, who lives in Hope, is up to 96th in the world rankings for the 1,500m freestyle and fifth in the world for the year he was born.

Chester Catholic High School student Lucy, 16, of Vicars Cross, is now ranked 128th in the world for the 200m freestyle and second in the world for the year she was born. She is also 88th for the 400m freestyle and fourth for the year she was born, 70th for the 200m butterfly and sixth for the year she was born, and 70th for the 800m freestyle and 10th for the year she was born.

Lucy has been named in the Great Britain squads for the World Youth Championships in Monterrey, Mexico in July and the European Junior Championships in Belgrade, Serbia later that month.

Coach Stewart Clamp will accompany Lucy to the Euros as part of the GB coaching team.

Lucy and Tom followed Clamp to the Swim Flintshire elite performance training scheme from City of Chester Swimming Club last year.