Titus praises coach Leah

BARBADOS’ SWIM PRINCESS Danielle Titus has pointed to the confidence boosting and top training from Bajan swim great Leah Martindale-Stencil as enablers which have seen her breaking one of her university’s records in the United States.

Back in February, Titus,19, smashed the Tulane University’s alltime 100-metre backstroke record in her first year as a student. Martindale-Stencil, who is Tulane’s head coach, was a finalist in the 50-metre freestyle at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

“Being coached by Leah has brought me a lot of confidence as I know that she has walked that path that I would like to walk. I know that she has the right plan of execution for me and I trust the process with her.

“It has been a rough first year but it has been a great experience up there with my team and my coach working on different technical aspects to better my swim,” said the former St. Michael School student.

This is the first time that Titus who had attended Harrison College before switching to SMS returned home since taking up her scholarship at Tulane University in New Orleans. Displaying a new level of confidence and public ease Titus indicated that she was taking each event as it arrived and she was not getting ahead of herself as she aims for the Olympics.

“I just try to focus on doing my best every time that I swim. I recognise that there will be pressure from my parents and everyone every time that I swim, but I try not to focus on that. I try to enjoy myself and perform to the best of my ability.

“When I return I shall continue to work hard focusing on my times to see where I am. I am happy right now but I feel that I can do better as I prepare for my next meet in The Bahamas,” said Titus who returns to Tulane today.

Titus will be making a shot at qualification for the Tokyo Olympics at The Bahamas long course nationals which are slated to be held later this month. Several of Barbados’ other top swimmers are expected to compete in The Bahamas.

The teenaged wondergirl, the holder of 23 Carifta Games gold medals, spent the last three weeks at home with her parents, Neil and Andrea.

(KB)

UNITED STATES-BASED swimmer Danielle Titus returns to New Orleans this afternoon.

(Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)