Media Release: World’s top swimming talent splashes down at international event – photo call

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Photo call

11am, Thursday March 9 2017

Performance gym, Sport and Exercise, Pleasance, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ

WORLD and Olympic swimming champions are to feature in an impressive roster of talent at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet this weekend.

More than 900 swimmers from 31 countries will take part in the three-day event at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

Swimmers competing at the event include Danish Olympic gold medallist, Pernille Blume, and world record holder, Rikke Moller Pedersen, alongside Swedish world champion, Jennie Johansson.

British athletes taking part include Scottish Commonwealth medal winner, Ross Murdoch; Olympic silver medallists, Duncan Scott, Dan Wallace and Stephen Milne; triple Olympian, Hannah Miley; and Paralympic medal winners, Bethany Firth and Scott Quin.

The University of Edinburgh will be represented by a number of athletes. including psychology undergraduate and Olympian Nicholas Quinn and Commonwealth medallist, Corrie Scott (chemistry).

They are joined by medical student, Kathryn Greenslade, a Team GB youth champion, and Welsh international, and Lizzie Simmonds – a Team GB Olympian and British record holder.

Swimming is one of the University of Edinburgh’s core performance sports.

Since the programme was introduced in 2008, Edinburgh has placed athletes on World Championship, Paralympic, Commonwealth and numerous international teams.

Edinburgh is regularly ranked in the top three at British University Championships swimming events and placed nine athletes at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Jim Aitken, director of Sport & Exercise at the University, said: “We are really excited about once again being lead sponsor and partnering with East District Swimming Association in delivering this fast-flowing and exciting competition.

“I have no doubt this will be an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”

Helen Murray, chair of the Edinburgh International Swim Meet Organising Committee, said: “We are delighted to have such high calibre athletes competing at this event, which seems to have grown in stature over the past few years, becoming one of the most prominent events in the international swimming calendar.”

The event is organised by Scottish Amateur Swimming Association East District in association with the University of Edinburgh.

Swimmers are competing ahead of the British Championships in April and the World Championships in Budapest in July.

Photographers are invited to attend a photo call at the Pleasance Gym at 11am on Thursday 9 March.

Scheduled to appear at the photo call are Danish Olympic champion, Pernille Blume; Danish world record holder, Rikke Moller Pedersen; Edinburgh’s Nicholas Quinn, Kathryn Greenslade, Lizzie Simmonds and British Paralympian, Scott Quin.

Images will be available on request.

For further information or to RSVP please contact: Andrew Moffat, Press and PR Office: andrew.moffat@ed.ac.uk; 0131 650 9836; 07467 339790

For further information about the Edinburgh International Swim Meet please contact Andra Laird, meet director: andra.laird@eism.org.uk or Helen Plank, marketing manager, Scottish Swimming: h.plank@scottishswimming.com

Notes to editors:

Media accreditation forms can be found here: http://www.scottishswimming.com/media/media-accreditation-form.aspx

Twitter: The official hashtag for the event is #eism2017

Live TV on line: www.youtube.com/swimscene

Results: Live results will be available also on Meet Mobile and at http://www.swimscotland.co.uk/

ENDS

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