Rio 2016: Sheffield's Ellie Faulkner switches from endurance to speed in Olympic medal chase

CITY of Sheffield Swimming Club star Ellie Faulkner will attempt to prove she has versatility in abundance at the Rio Olympic Games.
Sheffield swimmer Ellie Faulkner with her Commonwealth Games medalsSheffield swimmer Ellie Faulkner with her Commonwealth Games medals
Sheffield swimmer Ellie Faulkner with her Commonwealth Games medals

Faulkner, 23, is heading for her second Olympics having made her Games debut at London 2012, aged 19.

But four years later the Yorkshire swimmer is hoping to prove she is blessed with speed as well as stamina as she prepares to tackle a new event.

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Faulkner explained: “I’m in different events this time so I guess I am trying to better myself, even though I am in different events.

“I am doing the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m relay. Last time I did the 800m and the 4x200m relay.

“It’s just because of the training I’ve been doing – my 200m came out better than my 800m this time.

“I had a shoulder injury back in 2014 so I haven’t really been able to get back in and do the 800m training that I normally do.

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“That’s probably where my speed has come from for the 200m and it’s brought the best out of me in the 200m so I guess that’s where I go from now.”

Assessing the build-up to her second Olympics, Faulkner said: “There’s a different approach obviously in that we are going out to Rio and we are not going two hours down the road.

“It’s going to be a bit different with time zones and other things like that.

“The swimming for instance is going to be contested late at night and obviously that’s something that the GB team have been working on.

“Hopefully we have got that sussed by now!”

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