Nottingham achieves Beacon swimming status

Nottingham has been named as the latest host city for the Amateur Swimming Association’s (ASA) Beacon Programme – the body’s elite swimming pathway.

The city is the first location in the East Midlands to gain the status due to the “commitment of Nottingham City Council to high-performance swimming” through its investment in the redeveloped Harvey Hadden Sports Village.

The Beacon Programme, which is part-funded by Sport England, was created to nurture talented young swimmers after being identified as potential elite athletes of the future. Athletes will be allowed to train in Harvey Hadden’s new Olympic-sized pool, and will also have access to high performance services such as strength and conditioning, sport science, physiotherapy, nutrition advice and educational support.

Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad, Nova Centurion Swimming Club and Nottingham County Council will deliver Nottingham’s Beacon Programme.

Beacon Programme head coach Nathan Hilton, who moved to the city 18 months ago to develop the programme, said achieving Beacon status was “brilliant for Nottingham and the 17 swimmers currently on the performance programme”.

“Over the next two years, many talented athletes from across the region will benefit from this programme; in addition to the value that it will offer to coaches as part of the wider education and development opportunities through the Beacon network,” he added.

ASA head of clubs Jon Keating said the launch of the Nottingham Beacon Programme was important for athletes across the East Midlands to access a high performance centre. World junior champion and record-holder Rosie Rudin is one athlete who will benefit.

Beacon Swimming Programmes are already ongoing in nine towns and cities, including Basildon, Coventry, Portsmouth, Leeds, London, Sheffield, Manchester, Sunderland and Plymouth. There are also Beacon Programmes for diving, synchronised swimming and water polo.