Triathlon
Lucy Hall to represent GB at London 2012

LUCY Hall is affectionately known as ‘the mermaid’ for her ability in the water, and the former City of Coventry Swimming Club triathlete insists she is determined to make a splash at London 2012 after her surprise call up.

The 20-year-old from Lutterworth was the shock inclusion in Great Britain’s triathlon squad for the Olympics, despite having just three senior level World Championship Series starts under her belt.

And although her selection raised some eyebrows, Hall is vowing to prove her doubters wrong in style, by doing exactly what is asked of her.

“I feel very lucky to be performing in time for a home Games. I’d like to think its reward for the hard work,” she said.

“Any athlete would say this is the pinnacle of anyone’s career in sport, but Rio is my long-term goal, because I am still developing as an athlete.

“There is an expectation that one of us should bring home a gold medal because it’s a home Olympics as well, but those guys (her team-mates) deal with pressure so well.

“When I get on the start line, the adrenalin is pumping and you forget about your surroundings. It’s not different to what you do in a race - you swim, you bike and you run.”

Hall is under no illusions as to what her role this summer is, to use her superior swimming skill to help world number one and fellow Brit Helen Jenkins find her way to the top step of the podium as a domestique.

“A lot of people would say my strength is swimming,” Hall added.

At a very young age, I started swimming with the elite squad at the City of Coventry, where I got coached by Jo Deacon throughout the majority of my teenage years.

“That’s been a big enhancement of my swimming. Getting up at 4.30am before school, that’s kind of made me more emotionally sturdy.

“Physical and mental overlap a bit and mentally when you’re a teenager, you’re sitting you’re A-Levels, and then you have to get up 4.30am in the morning - it’s so difficult. But it makes you stronger.

“We’ve got brilliant athletes to look up to and I think that we’ve got such a success in triathlon, it just spurs us on to do well in London.”

Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, provides support and funding to 346 of Britain’s most talented developing athletes on their journey to London 2012 and beyond. Since 2008, the programme has supported 1,000 athletes. Follow future stars at facebook.com/lloydstsblocalheroes.

Buy photos» Lucy Hall in action. (s)

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