The selection of the squad, sponsored by British Gas, took place at a camp last month.

 

The camp saw the top 16 junior athletes from the national Figures event invited to face further selection as the team of expert coaches looked to select the final athletes.

 

The final squad of 10 then went on to a five-week intensive training camp to help improve their fitness levels and stamina before the Championships.

 

Bartleson,  who won an Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Games, has previously worked as Olympic duet coach for the 2004 Dutch Olympic team and has four years experience as head age group coach for a number of American clubs.

 

She said: “The girls are so willing and enthusiastic that it is difficult not to find that contagious.

 

"I am really motivated by them and their eagerness.

 

“I have had to be quite tough in training, we got to the point where I needed to push them slightly more than they are used to and we eased them into this.

 

"We have been doing different drills and making sure that they complete all elements.”

 

Synchronised swimming has come on leaps and bounds since Biz Price took charge of the reigns in 2007 and after the senior duet moved up six places in world rankings within one year, Bartleson is hoping the junior team can follow suit at this competition.

 

She said: “The main countries that will impress at the competition are Russia, Spain, Italy and Greece.

 

"Our closest competition will come from France.

 

"I am hoping that we will be able to overtake France with our performance at the Championships.”

 

Price has been impressed with the development of the girls at the training camp and sees this as the ideal opportunity to get the girls up to speed before the competition.

 

She said: “The camp has worked out quite well.

 

"It has been more successful than with our previous junior squads.

 

"The training schedule is much harder than anything they have been used to previously and although they have struggled with the volume of training they are doing well.

 

"We have a talented group of girls and it has been good to see their progress.

 

 “The athletes that make up our duet and solo have a bit more experience so it hasn’t been so much of a shock for them and my expectation for their performance is quite high.

 

"For the team I am hoping to bring out the best European Junior performance that we have had.

 

“The athletes have some more natural talent and ability than we have previously had.

 

"They are raw and some-what inexperienced but that is just what was needed.

 

"Many of the girls are in their first year of juniors and they are excited about competing.

 

"Nathalie has adjusted to the squad and her role well.

 

"She is proving to be a good choice for the squad and has worked well with the rest of the team staff.

 

"It has been difficult hours to get used to but she has knuckled down and has helped the junior squad take great strides in their development.