IAN POWELL has nailed his Guernsey colours to the mast ahead of the national championships and Commonwealth trials. The proud Sarnian is currently back home working on his final preparations for the Sheffield meet, which starts on 4 August, with his Beau Sejour Barracudas coach Alison Frankland.

He revealed yesterday that although the championships double up as trials for the Melbourne Games next March, he is content enough to already have the Guernsey qualifying times rather than press for England selection.

‘I would want to go for Guernsey,’ said Powell.’

‘It would be hard to get into the England squad, but I would prefer to go as part of the Guernsey team anyway.’

Having claimed a national title in the 17/18 year category last year, Powell will be up against the ‘big boys’ this time around in the open.

His main event will be the 200m backstroke, but he will also be competing in the 50m and 100m backstroke as well as the 100m butterfly.

‘It is a good challenge to swim against the top in Britain,’ he said.

‘I am hopeful of getting to the [200m backstroke] final and trying to get among the medals. Looking at the rankings, bronze certainly seems up for grabs.

‘Preparations have been going pretty well and I am starting to feel good in the water.

‘Hopefully I will have a good meet because I have not swum in England for around a year now and it would be nice to let people know I am still around,’ added the 19-year-old who has just completed his first year at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Powell described the set up in America as ‘great’ and feels that he has progressed in his time there so far, but added that he enjoys the chance of working with Frankland once again.

‘She is very good at tapering me – it certainly worked last year for the nationals,’ he said.

Frankland believes Powell enjoys being able to get in his ‘home pool’

‘He likes to come home and sharpen up pre-competition,’ she said.

‘We enjoy working together and this environment is good for him.’

Also heading for the ASA championships are Tom Hollingsworth and Jeremy Osborne.

‘Tom is feeling really good, although you have to remember that, unlike Ian, he has not got a lot of experience in a long-course pool. I am not sure how that will affect him, but he is in good shape and well-ranked in the 17-year age band,’ Frankland said.

‘In the 15-year age group, Jeremy should swim well and will be targeting at least a Commonwealth Games qualifying time.

‘Having just returned from Shetland, it is very difficult for these swimmers to peak again in that short period of time, but I am looking for some good results and believe they should do well.

Joshua Lewis will be swimming in the BAGCATS championships that precede the youth event and his Barracudas coach said ‘it will be a good experience for him’.