Hannah Miley: Countdown to London is gathering pace

Published on 23/06/2012 01:21

YEARS, months, weeks, days. Now I’m almost counting down the hours to the Olympics. Obviously, I’ve had London 2012 on my mind for a long, long time but now I can really feel the excitement mounting all around me.

I’ve been out training in Mallorca – but I did manage to catch footage of the torch passing through Aberdeen last week and the fact that so many people turned out to watch was fantastic. It makes me realise how much everyone cares about the Olympics.

I’ve been training this week but have been keeping a keen eye on the final trials down in Sheffield. It was great to see David Carry add his name to the Team GB list. David is a fellow member of the Red Sky team and I have great memories of the 2006 Commonwealth Games when David won two golds. It was my first major competition and he really helped raise the profile of Scottish swimming.

This coming week I’m really looking forward to competing in the Scottish Championships at the Commonwealth Pool. It is going to be my first visit since the refurbishment. I’ve heard very good things about it. It’s deeper and faster than before.

I’m not sure which events I’m going to swim next week but it will be nice to be racing again and I’m sure it is going to be quite exciting to be swimming in front of a Scottish audience so close to the Games. I’m sure they will transmit their good wishes and I hope a lot of people come out to support the Scottish Gas Championships.

At the start of this month, I competed in the Mare Nostrum Series in Barcelona and I won the 400m and 200m individual medley. It was a quick turnaround between swims – but very good for the confidence. In all, there were eight golds for the British contingent and it was great to be out there and mixing with my fellow Olympians.

Rebecca Adlington showed she is in great form for the defence of her Olympic crown by setting a championships record of 8:19.86 in the 800m freestyle – and my fellow-Scots Michael Jamieson (100m breaststroke) and David Carry (400m freestyle) both took silver.

I am out in Mallorca with the rest of my family – Dad Patrick, Mum Carmel and my brothers, Alastair and Joseph. Alastair also competed in the Mare Nostrum and made his first B final at an international competition. I was so pleased for him.

I must admit it is terrific having my family around me in these final few weeks before London 2012. They have been behind me for so many years – and having Dad as my coach adds to the special feeling. I can’t thank them enough.

Now I am looking forward to the final build-up to the Games. Years of hard work are about to come to fruition. It’s exciting and nerve-wracking – but I aim to enjoy every minute.

In these final weeks, I do try and find things to take my mind away from swimming and training. Music and movies – I watch loads – are a good distraction and I am also an avid user of Twitter. But, as time draws closer, I even cut back on my tweets – don’t want to give too much away.

The Team GB swimmers will meet in London in the middle of next month and then we are coming to the Commonwealth Pool for the holding camp.

I believe British Swimming is running a competition for 12-16 year-olds in partnership with the Evening News and the winners will come to see us training. It will be good to meet them.

We then return to London in time for the Olympic opening ceremony on 27 July. Not that I will be at the opening ceremony. My main event – the 400m individual medley – is on 28 July so I will be tucked up in bed and resting in readiness for the biggest day of my life.

• Hannah Miley is the European and Commonwealth Games 400m individual medley champion and she won the silver medal at the World Championships in Shanghai last July. She has qualified to compete for Team GB in the 400m and 200m individual medley at the Olympic Games starting in London on 27 July. Hannah is sponsored by Kellogg’s www.kelloggs.co.uk/swimming