Burnett determined to close his career with a smile on his face

By Ryan Bangs, Sportsbeat

SIMON Burnett celebrated opening a new chapter of his life back in August - and has vowed to ensure he closes another one in similar style next summer.

MAN ON A MISSION: Simon Burnett wants to end his career in the pool this year on a positive note

Burnett, a freestyle specialist, tied the knot with fellow swimmer Whitney Myers in Florida less than three months ago before returning to the pool for what will be his final year.

The 28-year-old, who is supported by British Swimming's principal partner British Gas, has done so off the back of a self-confessed poor season where he struggled to reach the Shanghai World Championships before exiting the heats of the 50m and 100m in China.

Burnett failed to qualify for the worlds at the first attempt back in March, doing so only in June, continuing a worrying trend spanning back to the trials for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

He is all too aware of such a run but with this year set to be his swansong Burnett is taking measures to ensure that isn't the case come the all-important Olympic trials in March.

"My English coach Bob Pay said to me that it is my career and I have to be accountable for it," said Burnett, who is encouraging swimming for 30 minutes once a week, which burns up to 350 calories and tones your body as part of British Swimming's Big Splash.

"He said I need to do what I need to do and make sure that I am on the same page as my coaches and that they believe in what I am doing.

"The final decision is very much what I want to do I will do and if there are things I don't want to do I won't do them. This is my last year as a swimmer and I will do everything possible so that I have no-one else to blame.

"I remember the trials in 2008 for the fact that they were probably the worst meet of my life. Again I only scraped onto the team for the relays, nothing individual, and it was disappointing.

"And I was frustrated with myself this time around, it was the second year where I didn't race well and come to think of it the past four years I haven't performed too well.

"I really did swim awful this year but already so far this season things have gone really well and the most important thing is being confident in what I am doing."

Burnett's World Championship appearance in Shanghai back in July was the third of his career - but also his least fruitful as he ranked 23rd and 25th in the 50m and 100m freestyles respectively.

He finished 19th and 12th in Melbourne in 2007 and 22nd and 20th in Rome in 2009 - and Burnett pulled no punches upon assessing his performances in the Far East.

"I would give myself a ‘C' for the past year - I was really disappointed with my performance at the World Championships," added Burnett, who is helping to promote the 1000 pools across the UK offering Big Splash events, taster sessions, and special offers to customers.

"I was happy with my performances at the second trials, the first trials I was not happy with, but the second trials were good.

"But not improving at the World Championships I think that is very amateur and I was very disappointed with myself about that.

"I certainly learnt a lot last season, I would have liked to have done better, but so far this season it has been good."

British Swimming's Big Splash campaign is supported by principal partner British Gas, and supporting partners Kellogg's and Speedo. For more information on great swimming activities and offers visit www.bigsplash.co.uk

© Sportsbeat 2011