O'Connor wants to strike fear into her rivals at Europeans

By Ben Baker, Sportsbeat

SIOBHAN-MARIE O'Connor is getting used to being pleasantly surprised during a dream 2011 but she insists it is her rivals that are in for a shock at next month's European Short Course Championships.

Despite aged just 15, O'Connor already has a taste of the global stage after she travelled to Shanghai in August for the World Championships.

And she clearly enjoyed her new surroundings, recording a personal best of 2:13.26minutes in the 200m individual medley to finish 13th.

But O'Connor's dream year isn't over yet as she received a call-up for the European Short Course Championships in Poland, where she will look to make more waves in the senior ranks.

And, despite admitting her surprise at having a plane ticket to Eastern Europe with her name on it, O'Connor isn't about to let it go to waste with the Olympic trials fast approaching in March.

"I was really excited when I found out about Poland as I never really expected to qualify and it was quite a surprise," said O'Connor - who has been named by Kellogg's as one of their Champions of Tomorrow.

"After I qualified for the worlds I knew a lot of doors would open up and it is a strong team full of a lot of senior guys so I feel very privileged to have been selected.

"With the competition being short course it obviously isn't comparative to what you do in the long course but it is still going to be good to get some good races in.

"And I want to go there and carry on what has been a great year. Things are happening very quickly for me and I am doing things that I never thought I would be doing at this stage.

"If someone asked me two years ago if I would be going to the Olympics I would have said probably not but now I am more confident than ever and want to put in a good result ahead of the trials next year."

O'Connor will be far from ploughing a lonely furrow in Poland as she is joined by fellow Bath ITC swimmers Kris Gilchrist, Michael Jamieson and Chris Walker-Hebborn to name a few.

And the teenager believes a few familiar faces will make all the difference as she continues on the road to London 2012.

"When I moved to Bath ITC I immediately saw improvements and there are a few of my squad going to Poland so it will be good to have those guys around me," she added.

"I always learn so much when I train with these senior guys and I am getting better all the time so that is what I will be aiming to do at the European Short Course Championships.

"I know I am heading in the right direction and I didn't put any pressure on myself for the worlds and I got a great swim so I will do the same in Poland and we will see what happens."

Kellogg's has been supporting British Swimming for more than 15 years on a ‘grassroots to gold medals' programme of swimming. Visit www.kelloggs.co.uk/swimming for more information.

© Sportsbeat 2011