Robbie toasts a World Cup success for his 18th Birthday

​Robbie H earned his first British Senior Team selection and the opportunity to race against the fastest in the World at the FINA World Cup hosted in Indianapolis in the United States from the 2- 4th of November.  During the trip, he would celebrate his 18th Birthday by rubbing shoulders and competing against Olympic Gold Medallists and backstroke legends such as Ryan Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, and Coleman Stweart,

 

The small men's team, including Britain's own most successful swimming Olympian Duncan Scott, flew out and had a day to acclimatize and train.

 

Day 1 of the competition would see Robbie compete in the 200m Backstroke, in which he went out with intent, with a very well-paced race 27.7/30.1/30/1/29.9 race that culminated in a 2-second personal best, new Senior Club Record-making the top 20, finishing 19th overall. 

 

The day saw the group of lads head out for lunch and Robbie treated for his Birthday. 

 

On day 2, Robbie competed in the 50m Backstroke, with a great start and the fastest reaction time in the whole field, Robbie worked on his rate and desperately tried to find the balance between speed and holding the water.  He touched earning his second personal best and club senior record and 25th overall in 24.66.

 

 

Robbie then spent the time observing some of the best in the world go about their business, perhaps sending his friendship group in the UK a record number of Snapchats too. 

 

Onto Day 3, Robbie competed in the 100m Back.  Robbie led out on the first 25m and was head to head with Cal Berkleys Jonny Crush through the race, with Robbie taking the touch, just three-hundredths of a second quicker, breaking 53 seconds for the first time in 52.97, to earn PB number 3 and Senior Club Record Number 3 finishing 18th overall. 

 

 

The experience was a great experience to see how Britain's and the World's Best aquatic athletes compete and Robbie followed his pre-race processes and race strategy well, coming home excitedly to work on the next process goals.

 

Pictured below with fellow Brit Ollie M