Ones to watch: 2005 - Swimming
Last Term saw the Oxford Swimmers win their home friendly gala against stiff opposition from London and Birmingham.
The BUSA Short-Course Championship in November saw President Gemma Hibbs-Tinson gain a fantastic Third in her 100m backstroke, and also make the national 50m final.
All the relay teams punched above their weight against some of the biggest names in University swimming during the course of this event.
Following an excellent week of training at Crystal Palace in early January, the swimmers are in good shape for the challenges ahead this term.
The team have also benefitted from a competition tour in Ireland, in which they took part in galas against other British universities
Buoyed by the returns of Phil Jordan and Leighton Cardwell from injury, John Whittaker from foreign placement, and Juliette Whiteman as a newcomer to the team, OUSC are looking forward to a successful varsity match on February 12th, and a good performance in the BUSA long course meet a week later.
The team will also be touring Gibraltar, competing against top Spanish and Portugese teams, and taking part in a 'round the rock' swim in the open seas to be publicised by the BBC. This follows the cross-channel swim that a OUSC squad completed last summer.
If the team can build on all that's been achieved so far, then great things can be expected in the coming weeks and months and with an excellent squad spirit it could be a wonderful term for OUSC.
20th Jan 2005