Mya Azzopardi sets 200m free national record in Turkey

Mya Azzopardi established a new national record in 200m freestyle event during the International Turkcell competition hosted by the Turkish Swimming Federation on Sunday. 

Azzopardi registered a time of 2:06.48, improving her own mark of 2:06.76 she set in Kazan, Russia during the LEN European Junior Championships in 2019.

Meanwhile, the national team swimmers are currently attending a high altitude training camp in Erzurum, Turkey which will come to a close on April 6.

Led by national swimming coach Artem Goncharenko and assisted by physiotherapists from the Physical & Sports Medicine Centre (PSMC), the swimmers are based in an accomodation at an altitude of 2,500m whilst training at an altitude of 1,800m.

“Currently swimmers are undertaking what is called a ‘live high and train low’ model. These kind of training camps are highly scientific and the main purpose of such training programme is to enable swimmers increase their aerobic capacity,” said Goncharenko.

The national team’s training, which is in preparation for the 2023 Games of the Small States of Europe in Malta, consists of a mix of daily land, gym and pool training sessions. 

The Maltese contingent at the training camp is made up of Luke Ellul Sullivan, Maya Galea, Sasha Gatt, Emily Grech Carr, Andrea Mallia, Amy Micallef, Michela Portelli, Rudi Spiteri, Sean Wareing and Thomas Wareing.