Wirral students face-to-face with Olympic swimmers (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral students face-to-face with Olympic swimmers

11:48am Monday 9th July 2012 in Sport By Stephanie Cureton

WIRRAL students had the unique opportunity to come face-to-face with Olympic athletes.

Nine pupils from the Oldershaw Academy in Wallasey met swimmers from the Pacific islands off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.

The athletes, who travelled 10,000 miles to compete in London 2012, are based at the Liverpool Aquatics Centre as part of their preparation in the run up to the Games.

And Oldershaw PE students were the given the chance to meet them and find out more about their training regimes.

PE teacher Paula Rainsford, said: "When I heard about it on the radio last September I just thought that if those swimmers can travel half way round the world to get here then we can go and show our support for them by going to see them train.

"The swimmers were really friendly and it was amazing to hear about their lives back in the islands” said Cody Hughes while Leon Quest added: "It's incredible that they travel all around the world to swim and for all of them it's their first Olympics."

Student Aaron Cairns said: "It was fantastic for us to meet some great swimmers preparing for the Olympics and see how they are so dedicated."