Teenager turns attention to relay
Dubai-born Serb already going to Olympics, but now he wants 4x200m team to join him
Dubai: After qualifying for the Olympics and taking a stomach bug in his stride, Dubai-born swimmer Velimir Stjepanovic wants to ensure the Serbian 4x200 metres relay team joins him in London.
"I was out of the pool for a full week due to gastritis, which isn't great," he said.
"But I tried to take the positives out of it by getting rested. Since then I have been training hard keeping the European Long Course Championships [in Hungary] in mind."
Stjepanovic, 18, carried the Serbian flag at the opening ceremony for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in 2010. He was declared his country's best young athlete by the Serbian Olympic committee later that year.
Dominated
Stjepanovic dominated in his events at the 2011 European Junior Swimming Championships, winning gold in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.
In the same year went on to represent Serbia at the World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai in the 100m and 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly.
"He is in a good frame of mind at the moment and he should be peaking in time for London," coach Chris Tidey said.
Stjepanovic added: "I won't be resting there [in Hungary] and will be pretty much in full training. I will start my rest only after getting to Hungary.
"I will be half rested for the 4x200m relay so that Serbia can try and get the qualifying time for the Olympics."
Stjepanovic confirmed his participation in London when he set the fastest 200m butterfly time of the year (one minute, 56.18 seconds) at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in the first week of March.
Important
"But it is also important for me to have Serbia in the relay and to achieve this I will try and give my best and get the team to the qualifying mark," he said.
"I am hoping to get a time under 1.50 minutes, and along with the rest I should come along fine."
In Hungary this week, Stjepanovic will also swim in the 400m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay followed by his favourite 200m butterfly.
"I should be feeling relatively good as it is about four days rest. That's a lot more than I actually have and things should be really good," he said.
