Swimming
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Robin takes on Poole role
POOLE Swimming Club have appointed Robin Armayan as their new head coach - and he has already vowed to ring the changes.
The 26-year-old Frenchman has already begun work at the Rossmore and Dolphin pools and is promising to make good use of the coaching knowledge he has gained in his native country and Australia.
Armayan, who comes from Bordeaux, was a handy breaststroker before beginning a coaching career when he was 20.
He has spent the last two years honing his skills in three of Australia's biggest swimming centres - Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne.
With Melbourne club CA Tritons, he was able to watch top coach Rohan Taylor and world-beating Aussie swimmers such as Leisel Jones and Shane Reese at close quarters.
"I learnt a lot in Australia, especially at Melbourne, which is a big club," said Armayan, who speaks fluent English.
"Australia is a really big swimming nation although I think they could be even better. It's a young country and they need people to work."
Armayan said his plan after Australia was always to obtain his first head coach role and Poole SC responded to his advertisement on the British Swimming website.
"I didn't even know where Poole was but it's a nice club with some interesting swimmers," he said.
"I plan to mix what I have learnt in France and Australia. The most important thing in my programme is from Australia.
"I will ask them to work hard, swim properly and swim fast.
"I can already see that they are motivated and I respect the fact that they have to get up at 5am to train at 5.30.
"They deserve someone competent and I am very motivated.
"With the younger ones, we need to get the technique right first and look at their fitness later. Technique is most important.
"We have some hard work ahead. It's too late to get regional qualifying times for this year but I am thinking for next year."
Armayan hopes to introduce more land training.
The Frenchman is already aware that he has moved to a particularly competitive area with two of the South West's leading clubs, Ferndown Otters and Bournemouth Dolphins, on the doorstep.
"Many of our swimmers are young and the coach is young too but I am not worried," he said.
"Some people apparently say we are a teaching club. I don't know if it is true before but I can guarantee you it is going to change.
"I am ambitious for myself and for the club."
SAMANTHA Ledden won silver and bronze medals to lead Poole's results at the Littlehampton Open Meet in Portsmouth.
She came second in the 14yrs 200m breaststroke and third in the 100m.
Georgina Tucker achieved three top-five finishes, coming fourth in the 9yrs 50m butterfly (46.12) and 200m backstroke (3:23.86) and fifth in the 200m individual medley (5:49.40).
Fourth places also went to 400m freestylers Daniel Monk in the 10yrs age group (5:49.40) and Kyran Yeatman in the 12yrs category (5:35.48).
Declan Callahan added the 100m freestyle to his list of South West regional qualifying times as he finished fifth in the 13yrs age group in 1:03.47.
Other finalists included Philip Bourne with fifth place in the 11yrs 400m freestyle (5:47.83) and sixth in the 100m freestyle (1:15.11) and Phoebe-May Notley with fifth in the 13yrs 400m freestyle (5:00.64).
Sophie Haesler-Pearce recorded no less than nine personal best times in the 12yrs age group.
Jade Norman, Jamie Gray, Kyran Yeatman and Philip Bourne each recorded three PBs and Ben Tucker two.
6:18pm Wednesday 30th April 2008
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