GO GOLD Athlete of the Week: Alisa McDonald

Posted: Mon, 18 Jun 2018 18:00

GO GOLD Athlete of the Week: Alisa McDonald

Alisa is a dedicated breaststroke swimmer, representing the Midlands Regional Championships! As a GOGOLD athlete, Alisa has aspirations to travel to vast parts of the world and talks about her dream destinations!

Describe your typical day (including training, school, etc.).

Two days a week I have early morning training which involves getting up at 4:05am to travel to the pool for a 2hr session, then it's back home for breakfast and off to school. In the run up to GCSEs my school has been offering extra revision sessions after school so it has then been a mad dash to the pool for another 21/2hr training session. Then it's home for tea, a shower, a little TV time or homework and then bed.

If you won the lottery what would be the first thing that you bought?

Probably some clothes or maybe a holiday to Canada with my family.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Trying to overcome a loss of confidence in my main stroke, breaststroke which really affected how well I was performing.

What's the best thing that your sport has enabled you to do?

It has allowed me to meet loads of new people from all over the country who I see at different competitions and who have become part of my swimming family.

What is your proudest accomplishment (doesn't have to be sport related)?

I think it was getting my first British National time in the final of the 200m breaststroke at the Midlands Regional Championships in 2014. I swam a Personal Best (PB) in the heats to get in to the final and the time was close to the qualification time. My coach was convinced I could go faster and I was so proud when I did and he told me I'd got the qualification time.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?

Either New Zealand (as it doesn't have all the bugs that Australia has) or Canada as I've seen pictures of the wonderful scenery and I would like to see it for myself.

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