QMC Student has an Olympic Experience at the Aquatics Centre

First year QMC student Laura Moseley has been one of the first to get poolside at the Olympic Aquatics Centre ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games in July!

As a fully qualified swimming officiator Laura had the opportunity to officiate at the 2012 School Games which were held at the Olympic Park in May.

The Sainsbury's 2012 School Games, developed and organised by the Youth Sport Trust, is a multi-sport event for the UK's elite young athletes of school age. In this, its inaugural year, the Games sought to create an inspirational and motivational setting which not only provided elite young sports people with the opportunity to thrive and perform at the highest levels, but also encouraged more young people to take part and succeed in sport.

Laura was nominated to be a young official at the Games’ swimming events by the South East Swimming Region and jumped at the opportunity. As a member of Basingstoke Bluefins Laura got involved with teaching swimming when she had to reduce her own swimming due to health issues. She is now a qualified Level 2 Swim Teacher and has officiated as a Level 1/2 Judge at Club and County events, making her the ideal candidate to officiate at the School Games.

She officiated at all of the swimming events at the School Games which included 50/100/200m individual races for each stroke, as well as relay races, for able-bodied and multi-disability swimmers.

Laura said: “The experience was amazing, I loved every minute of it. It was the first time I had officiated at such a big event , and was also the first time that I had officiated multi-disability swimmers and I was amazed at their courage and ability. While I was there I had the opportunity to explore the Aquatic Centre and to walk to the very top of the pool – a great view but extremely tiring on your legs! It was a once in a lifetime experience for me, especially as the pool is now on lock down until the Olympics so the next people using the pool will be the world’s best swimmers. I got my picture taken on lane 4 as that is the lane that Michael Phelps will hopefully swim in and I wanted to say that I had stood where he would be!”

With around 1,600 competitors and up to 35,000 spectators the event was a great opportunity for swimming enthusiast and sports student Laura, especially as it was the last event to be held at the Olympic Park before the London 2012 opening ceremony on 27^th  July.