Swimmer does it the hard way
JEMMA Lowe will not be the only swimmer from this area to be jetting off to the World Championships.
Ian Hulme, from Easington Village, will be in the Great Britain team for swimming's biggest event, in Rome on July 16.
While Lowe was completing a 100 and 200 metres butterfly double at the British Gas Scottish National Championships at the weekend, Hulme also struck gold in the men's event in Glasgow.
The 25-year-old won the 50 and 100 metre butterfly titles at the Tollcross Park Leisure Centre.
Hulme, who started his swimming career with Peterlee Swimming Club, clocked 24.17 seconds in the 50 and then 52.09 seconds in the 100.
He finished almost two tenths of a second ahead of James Doolan (Salford) in the 50 and held off main rival Antony James
(Plymouth) in the longer race by just 0.04 seconds.
The Sunderland AC star will now swim both races in Rome.
Mum, Gill Hulme, told SportMail her and husband, Gary, were proud of their son's achievements, particularly after having to "do it the hard way".
"Ian swam at the trials in Sheffield in March but had been ill and was well below 100 per cent fitness," said Gill, who is Peterlee Swimming Club's coach.
"Obviously when he went to Glasgow he was hoping to win a place in the team, but knew it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
"He knew he had to win and beat the times set by Antony James.
"Ian swam very well and won both events.
"We're so pleased for him.
"He's been trying for a long, long time and had so many knock-backs and disappointments in his career.
"But he's stuck at it and achieved what he's wanted to achieve.
"A lot of people could learn from him – he didn't give up and he kept going."
Indeed, Ian not only receives no lottery funding – unlike many top swimmers – but he has not worked since finishing his degree at University three years ago.
Mum Gill added: "Ian has got a degree behind him but at the moment he's concentrating on his swimming.
"He's had to make a lot of sacrifices to do what he's done."
While now a leading star for Sunderland, his first strokes in the pool were done at Peterlee Leisure Centre.
"He started as a four-year-old in the learn to swim programme," said Gill.
"He progressed right through the club at Peterlee and swam for Loughborough University when he went there.
"After that he had two years at the High Performance Centre at Swansea and has swum for Sunderland since October."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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