Harbour Gold Squad swimmers were put through their paces with an intensive training camp at the National Sports Centre last week.

The camp, which took place during half term, included two daily sessions at the pool, strengthening and conditioning workouts led by Mandy and Taylor Smith as well as a session with sports psychologist Tony Tucci of ImpactSportsLab.

“Intense training when the children can focus on their sport without the stress of daily school schedules and an opportunity to focus solely on swimming and getting sufficient rest is important as we prepare them for our upcoming winter championship meet on December 3.” said Shona Palmer, head coach of Harbour Swim Club.

Coach Jenny Smatt hailed the efforts of the swimmers throughout the difficult week.

“The schedule and training were challenging both mentally and physically and the swimmers did a great job in approaching each day with a strong desire to work hard and establish a foundation for success in the coming months,” she said.

“Shona and I are both proud of the swimmers, particularly those who are experiencing this level of training for the first time.

“We got an opportunity to really connect with them one on one, better understand their goals and challenge them so they realise what they are truly capable of.”

The camp was planned in August and was originally scheduled fro Naples, Florida, but after extensive damage to the area as a result Hurricane Ian, the club had to cancel the trip and swimmers needed an alternative location for training.

With only three weeks to make a shift, the club was able to put together a camp with the help of David Dodwell and The Reefs Hotel.

Dodwell worked closely with Harbour Swim Club in supplying rooms for the team to stay during a time when things were very limited due to the PGA Golf Tournament.

“The staff at The Reefs Hotel were wonderful in accommodating the swimmers at such short notice and it was a perfect example for our athletes to understand that even when things don’t go according to plan, we must adjust, refocus and lean on our support systems to find a way to achieve our goals,” added Smatt.

“We were able to train hard, hold our team meetings in a dedicated conference room and enjoy the best of what Bermuda has to offer.

“We can’t thank David and his staff at The Reefs as well as the staff at the National Sports Centre enough for helping us make the week a huge success.”