George up for Leeds pool challenge (From Thurrock Gazette)

Horndon swimmer's tough test

1:00am Friday 8th March 2013 in Sport By Frazer Clark

SWIMMING: HORNDON-on-the-Hill schoolboy George Epsly, 14, faces a huge pool challenge.

He is racing this weekend (March 9 and 10) in the British Gas International gala in Leeds. The gala is the primary event in the domestic swimming calendar.

It acts as the only trials event for international selection to the Junior European championships which take place in Poland and the Youth Olympic Festival to be held in the Netherlands later this year.

Epsly has still got a couple of years before he can qualify for the European Juniors.

But qualification for the Youth Olympics festival remains a possibility for the talented Thurrock swimmer. But the pool ace will be one of the youngest at the gala and – because of the way the age groups are arranged – he will have to beat boys much older than he is to make progress.

This weekend Epsly will be swimming the 200 metres butterfly which is his favourite stroke and distance.

He reached the qualification standard at the sport’s demanding national championships in July last year when he swam the gruelling event in a blistering two minutes and 11 seconds.

There is no respite for George as he will return to Plymouth following the gala to continue his training in preparation for the National Championships held in July.