MARK SZARANEK believes tomorrow’s International Swimming League final could be the biggest event the sport has ever seen – with a tonne of Las Vegas glamour added into the mix.
The 24-year-old from Fife will take his shot at a share of the extravagant prize pot on offer when he lines up for California Condors as the ISL’s debut season reaches its climax inside a Nevada casino. The new series has been a real shot in the arm, Szaranek insists, with the £18million lavished by Ukrainian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin to get all the big names on board set to change the face of swimming forever now that the initial wrinkles have been ironed out.
Szaranek said: “I raced in the legs in Indianapolis, Naples and Washington DC. The response in the USA was pretty good. DC was better than Indy because Indy was the first meeting. So they were working things out and changes were happening on the go.
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“The first one was a little rocky but they’ve nailed it since. Naples was wild. The Italians love their swimming. That’s been the best one. Hopefully though Vegas will top it. But the whole concept of having a pool inside a casino is insane.”
It’s radically different from the Commonwealth Games medallist’s daily grind at the University of Stirling where he’s reshaped his career after returning from college in Florida.
And with an individual medley and relay shots at the Tokyo Olympics in his sights, coming home has given Szaranek a new lease of life.
He said: “I’ve got a better all-round approach to training. More recovery built in through the week.
“I’m looking after my body better than I was in Florida with a better lifestyle. Better nutrition. And I’m enjoying that change.”
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