Congratulations Blake Cochrane on winning the Men’s 100m Breastroke – SB7 at the Paralympic games in London. Not only did Blake win the gold he also broke his own world record. I first met Blake in the late 1990’s when his father bought Blake to the original Shapland Swim School at Clontarf to learn how to swim.

Right from the start Blake definitely had a skill for Breastroke and we worked on developing that skill. After graduating from swimming lessons Blake joined the Clontarf Beach Raiders swimming club where I was the coach and we had a productive time together as Blake made his entrance into the world of competitive swimming.

Blake was a very competitive person who never took a backward step from any situation. Watching him swim the finals of the 100m Breastroke was a real sense of deja vu as his stoke was so familiar that it was like walking along the side of the pool watching him training in the outdoor 25m school pool at Clontarf.

On behalf of the Shapland group Blake, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your inspiration. For me it has been a privilege to have played a small part in your well deserved success on the world stage.

Chris Shapland.

http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/athlete/cochrane-blake-5516171/