Solid start for synchro star Randall

By Sportsdesk • Published 6 Aug 2012 12:30 0 Comments

ASCOT synchronised swimmer Jenna Randall is vowing to maintain the high standards she has now set for herself after getting her London 2012 assault off to a strong start yesterday.

After the sensational performances of Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford in the Olympic Stadium the night before, it was the turn of former Hurst Lodge School pupil Randall and partner Olivia Federici in the pool as the Brits got their campaign underway with the duets technical routine.

And they were clearly buoyed by what had come before as they recorded a score of 88.100 to sit eighth after the first round.

The duo are well placed to make Tuesday's final, with the top 12 duets after today's [Monday] free routine advancing to battle it out for the medals.

And 23-year-old Randall insists she couldn't have really asked for a better opener to her London 2012 experience.

"We are very happy with the score," she said. "We haven't been able to get 88 or more in the technical routine for a while now so that was great to see.

"There weren't really any nerves from us in the morning because we have been training eight hours a day, week in week out and you can't lose that focus.

"So we went out there just looking to get off to a good start and thankfully we managed to do that and we are both really pleased.

"We are ahead of the people that we wanted to be at this stage of the competition and we are hoping to keep that intact for the free routine

"We will go away and look at the video and see what we can work on in training and keep focused for the free routine - we don't want to let it drop now."

Federici and Randall are no stranger to performing under the bright Olympic lights, having finished 14th in the duets in Beijing four years ago.

But Randall, who was forced to miss the test event with a wrist injury, admits that her first taste of the London 2012 atmosphere blows everything else out of the water - and hopes it can help propel them up the standings this time around.

"It was great. Hearing the crowd cheer for us when we were walking out was fantastic to hear and it gave us that extra little buzz when we were swimming," she added.

"It felt good and having the crowd it felt like a good swim. We have corrections that we need to do but that is the same every time.

"We will go away and work hard but it is a nice feeling to know that we will be cheered on like that every time and it gives us a massive confidence boost." Lloyds TSB, proud supporter of Team GB and proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Get closer to the Games at lloydstsb.com/london2012

Randall's younger sister, Asha, who went to Brigidine School in Windsor, is set to compete in the synchronised team event later this week.

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This article appeared in Bracknell News 06 Aug 12

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