The one about Russia

It has been a busy but successful three weeks at the third and forth legs of the World Series. Before the competitions we were prepped for our 'nothing to do' week at the training camp in Krugloe, Moscow. The pool and hotel were together in the middle of a forest along with the typical Russian cuisine - dill. Sometimes I struggled with the food, especially when cows liver was served; I thought it was a nice beef burger shaped slightly differently. Cornflakes for dinner a couple of nights felt satisfying. 

Our bedroom view 

Krugloe pool

Krugloe gym

To prevent boredom the team ventured out for a walk around the forest, we found a strange part of the forest. I think many things may have happened there . . . It will be nice to come back in the summer and turn it in to a BBQ area.

BBQ area?

Shower area? 

I have no idea

Forest snow

We also had a game of team twister, we had a hot chocolate, we played cards and Tonia and I watched a whole lot of Breaking Bad in between sessions! Knowing the idea of the training camp was to train without distraction, I got my head down for a week and worked at things that needed fixing. There was a great video feedback system at the pool; a Russian coach played the dives back in slow motion on a big screen television, which was great for our synchro.

Team Twister

Tangled

Hot Chocolate 

Sunday the team took a bus ride into Moscow centre, I have been to the centre a couple of times before but we were all keen to get out of the forest. It was nice to get some pictures and see the Cathedral and the Moscow Kremlin again. We will be coming back to Krugloe before the World Championships, bringing all sorts to keep us sane!

Saint Basil's Cathedral

The Moscow Kremlin

To move to Kazan for the third leg of the World Series we experienced a different way of travelling, a 12-hour overnight sleeper train. I was a bit anxious about it but it looked nice when we got on and it wasn't too uncomfortable ... until we started moving. The rockiest transport I have been on, I last looked at the time around 4.30am without sleep so I wasn't the happiest getting on 10m a few hours later in Kazan and when we only had 2 days of training before competitions started. Somehow my training was the best it had been all week, I put it down to the hard work we put in the week before, the coaches seem to believe it was the comfortable train ride that they witnessed?

The Moscow train station

As we walked in

My rocking bed

Some of the team had Thursday afternoon off in Kazan; it was my first time in the city so we took a tour around some of Kazan's religious buildings. It was interesting having a mosque and a church within metres of each other.

Leaning tower Syuyumbike 

Inside of the Kul Sharif Mosque

On Friday’s synchro competition, I knew we both felt nervous but we were ready. In China and Dubai I felt neither because we weren't competition ready, being nervous and confident certainly works for us. Tonia and I were really pleased with how we dived, it took a lot of effort with Andy (coach) to sort out some issues in the synchro but we got through it and are now set up for the rest of the season.

Andy and our 3rd place

Medal ceremony

In the individual I was disappointed with how I dived, I started off well but I didn't continue, a lack of confidence was to blame compared with the synchro, something to build on for the next few World Series events. For the majority of the training camp and the competition I am pleased with how my shin and now shins held up. The medical team, Andy, Tonia and including myself have a great deal of patience, pain is different everyday but as long as they are pain free on competition days it is enough to compete well.

Hope to see the pool again for the World Championships

The British team are defiantly on a high at the moment, Jack winning his second 3m gold in a row, Tonia and Tom mixing with the 10m individual medals, Becky and Alicia in the synchro medals and Tonia and I on the podium again for synchro! It takes the pressure off Tom and it's looking good for the World Championships in Kazan this July.

Part 2 coming up - London World Series.

SB x