Chris Steeples has returned home and back into hard training after his second international swim. (See previous blogs for his results). Below is a profile on Chris Steeples:
Derventio eXcel Swimmer Chris Steeples called up for GREAT BRITAIN!
The 18 year old from Church Broughton has been selected to swim for the Great British senior team, in the Duel in the Pool against Germany in February 2011.
This is Chris’ third time being selected for the GB team, after what has been an amazing progress year for the swimmer.
Chris is the men’s captain at Derventio eXcel swim squad – Derbyshire’s elite county swimming squad. He along with his teammates train up to 6 days a week and up to 5 hours a day 50 weeks of the year, and it shows the real commitment and talent that Chris and the other youngsters at Derventio eXcel have. Last summer saw 29 swimmers from Derventio compete in over 105 swims at the National Swimming Championships with swimmers bringing home Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in a range of events.
Chris started swimming at a young age and first began swimming competitively with his local swimming club of Etwall Eagles in Etwall, Derbyshire. Whilst he was there the clubs Head Coach Dean Howard tracked Chris’ potential and got in touch with the Head Coach of Derventio eXcel to allow Chris to have every chance to reach his full potential. From there Chris was made a member of the Derventio eXcel development squad where he began additional sessions alongside his club sessions with the elite squad. Chris adds “I got the chance to be part of Derventio eXcel and I grabbed it with both hands, being part of the development squad allowed me to make the transition to elite training at the right time for me, and it gave me an insight into what swimming at the top was really like”. He has since continued to go from strength to strength. Chris was naturally made a full time member of the elite squad 6 months later and then went on to win a Silver medal in the 100m Breaststroke at the 2008 National Championships when he was 16 years old.
Alongside these successes Chris has also endured lows in his career particularly at the beginning of 2009 and it is testament to the hard working, strong character he has that along with support from his coaches, teammates, family and friends came through it and has never looked back. Just a year later at the British Championships he swam to be the fastest Junior swimmer in the 100m Breaststroke and booked himself a ticket on the plane to Finland to swim for his country at the European Junior Championships in Helsinki in July 2010, where he went on to swim in semi-finals and finals and progressed on all swims to be the fastest Brit in the Breaststroke events. He then went onto the National Championships in August, and went onto win Gold and Bronze medals. From this his success, hard work and commitment has been recognised again and he has been chosen as part of a select 12 person team to go out to the USA in December to take on the best short course swimmers in the world in Portland. The busy season does not end there with the trip to Germany to take part in his Senior debut will then follow in February, the British Championships in March and the Nationals in June 2011. Chris comments “I am so excited about this season’s competitions, I’ve been working really hard and it’s good to see it pay off. Last season I fulfilled a dream pulling on the GB tracksuit was the best feeling and I was honoured to fly the flag for Derbyshire. I think training day in day out with some of the best swimmers in the country here at Derventio pushes me to be the best I can be. We work hard as a team and I am proud to be their male captain”.
Chris who has decided to take a year out from education after completing his A-levels at John Port School in Etwall, has also completed an Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence which is a “government-funded initiative that has been designed to help young people aged 16 to 18 combine education and sport.” (www.swimming.org). Alongside this he has been selected onto the ASA level 3 England Talent Camp for the talented youth swimmers of the country.
Chris is very passionate about swimming and supporting those around him to achieve their potential too. In the summer Chris went back to his first club Etwall Eagles as a Guest of Honour at their schools gala, where he presented medals to the budding youngsters and chatted to them about swimming and sport. Chris has also won the South Derbyshire’s sports person of the year in 2010 and was the runner up in 2009.
Chris has just returned from Portland, Oregon, USA where he swam for Great Britain in the International Junior Short Course swimming championships. Chris broke 5 of his own county records to win Silver medal in the 50m Breaststroke, Bronze medal in the 100m Breaststroke and take 5th place in the 200m Breaststroke.
Chris is now the fastest British Man in the 50m Breaststroke (short course) with a blistering 28.55 seconds.
Chris has also been awarded with the Regional 50m Breaststroke Short Course Record (18-24yrs) and his former school John Port School in Etwall are recogning his achievments this week by awarding him at their annual awards ceremony with an award for Outstanding success in extracurricular activies.
Chris is now back in hard training over Christmas preparing for his Senior Great Britain Debut in the Duel in the Pool against Germany in February and the World Championship Trials in March.
For more information on Derventio eXcel or to keep up-to-date on Chris’ progress please visit the Website: www.derventioexcel.org.uk
The 18 year old from Church Broughton has been selected to swim for the Great British senior team, in the Duel in the Pool against Germany in February 2011.
This is Chris’ third time being selected for the GB team, after what has been an amazing progress year for the swimmer.
Chris is the men’s captain at Derventio eXcel swim squad – Derbyshire’s elite county swimming squad. He along with his teammates train up to 6 days a week and up to 5 hours a day 50 weeks of the year, and it shows the real commitment and talent that Chris and the other youngsters at Derventio eXcel have. Last summer saw 29 swimmers from Derventio compete in over 105 swims at the National Swimming Championships with swimmers bringing home Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in a range of events.
Chris started swimming at a young age and first began swimming competitively with his local swimming club of Etwall Eagles in Etwall, Derbyshire. Whilst he was there the clubs Head Coach Dean Howard tracked Chris’ potential and got in touch with the Head Coach of Derventio eXcel to allow Chris to have every chance to reach his full potential. From there Chris was made a member of the Derventio eXcel development squad where he began additional sessions alongside his club sessions with the elite squad. Chris adds “I got the chance to be part of Derventio eXcel and I grabbed it with both hands, being part of the development squad allowed me to make the transition to elite training at the right time for me, and it gave me an insight into what swimming at the top was really like”. He has since continued to go from strength to strength. Chris was naturally made a full time member of the elite squad 6 months later and then went on to win a Silver medal in the 100m Breaststroke at the 2008 National Championships when he was 16 years old.
Alongside these successes Chris has also endured lows in his career particularly at the beginning of 2009 and it is testament to the hard working, strong character he has that along with support from his coaches, teammates, family and friends came through it and has never looked back. Just a year later at the British Championships he swam to be the fastest Junior swimmer in the 100m Breaststroke and booked himself a ticket on the plane to Finland to swim for his country at the European Junior Championships in Helsinki in July 2010, where he went on to swim in semi-finals and finals and progressed on all swims to be the fastest Brit in the Breaststroke events. He then went onto the National Championships in August, and went onto win Gold and Bronze medals. From this his success, hard work and commitment has been recognised again and he has been chosen as part of a select 12 person team to go out to the USA in December to take on the best short course swimmers in the world in Portland. The busy season does not end there with the trip to Germany to take part in his Senior debut will then follow in February, the British Championships in March and the Nationals in June 2011. Chris comments “I am so excited about this season’s competitions, I’ve been working really hard and it’s good to see it pay off. Last season I fulfilled a dream pulling on the GB tracksuit was the best feeling and I was honoured to fly the flag for Derbyshire. I think training day in day out with some of the best swimmers in the country here at Derventio pushes me to be the best I can be. We work hard as a team and I am proud to be their male captain”.
Chris who has decided to take a year out from education after completing his A-levels at John Port School in Etwall, has also completed an Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence which is a “government-funded initiative that has been designed to help young people aged 16 to 18 combine education and sport.” (www.swimming.org). Alongside this he has been selected onto the ASA level 3 England Talent Camp for the talented youth swimmers of the country.
Chris is very passionate about swimming and supporting those around him to achieve their potential too. In the summer Chris went back to his first club Etwall Eagles as a Guest of Honour at their schools gala, where he presented medals to the budding youngsters and chatted to them about swimming and sport. Chris has also won the South Derbyshire’s sports person of the year in 2010 and was the runner up in 2009.
Chris has just returned from Portland, Oregon, USA where he swam for Great Britain in the International Junior Short Course swimming championships. Chris broke 5 of his own county records to win Silver medal in the 50m Breaststroke, Bronze medal in the 100m Breaststroke and take 5th place in the 200m Breaststroke.
Chris is now the fastest British Man in the 50m Breaststroke (short course) with a blistering 28.55 seconds.
Chris has also been awarded with the Regional 50m Breaststroke Short Course Record (18-24yrs) and his former school John Port School in Etwall are recogning his achievments this week by awarding him at their annual awards ceremony with an award for Outstanding success in extracurricular activies.
Chris is now back in hard training over Christmas preparing for his Senior Great Britain Debut in the Duel in the Pool against Germany in February and the World Championship Trials in March.
For more information on Derventio eXcel or to keep up-to-date on Chris’ progress please visit the Website: www.derventioexcel.org.uk
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