James Guy insists he has never felt better in the pool – something the Street teenager is eager to prove at this month’s World Championships.
The last 12 months have certainly been memorable for Guy, who has won a number of British titles in that time, as well as his first major international long course medal with 400m freestyle bronze at last summer’s Commonwealth Games.
And all that means the 19-year-old Millfield ace arrives in Kazan, Russia, for the World Championships in high spirits – the swimming action getting underway on August 2.
Guy is no stranger to the World Championships, having competed in the 2013 global gathering in Barcelona where he finished fifth in the 400m freestyle.
“Training has been going really well and ahead of Russia I am in a very good place right now and I feel happy,” he said.
“I am just ready to race now. I went out to Vichy for a training camp and got some good races out there, and then just spent a hard week in Majorca so I am ready to go.
“I am confident because I know I have put the hard work in and I can push myself going into races
“In Kazan I want to make sure I will be in the mix. The main thing is to have fun and enjoy it and if I do that I am sure I will swim fast and be the best I can be.”
This year’s World Championships carry extra significance with the Rio Olympics looming large on the horizon – a fact not lost on a hopeful Guy.
“Going to the Commonwealths last year and swimming well, and then doing the work this year too shows me that I am heading in the right direction for Rio,” he added.
“This year is all about putting in the hard work now so I can just tweak for next year. Hopefully I can have a good summer and build on it to get to Brazil.”