Tokyo Olympian Hector Pardoe Among Seven Called Up To GB Open Water Squad For European Championships

Hector Pardoe: Photo Courtesy: FINA

Tokyo Olympian Hector Pardoe Among Seven Called Up To GB Open Water Squad For European Championships

Tokyo Olympian Hector Pardoe is among seven athletes selected by British Swimming for the open water at the upcoming European Championships in Rome.

Pardoe was forced to pull out of the 10km race in Odaiba Marine Park last year in the Japanese capital after a stray elbow left him with a deep cut above his eye.

A blend of new and experienced faces will take to the Lido Di Ostia Lungomare Amerigo Vespucci between 18-21 August as the team look to build on a run of strong performances across both junior and senior levels in recent months.

Two of the most experienced members of the team are Loughborough University duo Pardoe and Toby Robinson who came 11th and 21st respectively in the 10km at the World Championships in Budapest in June.

Robinson has also been part of the Team England cohort at the Commonwealth Games, placing fourth in the 1500m freestyle final.

Also selected are Swansea University’s Nathan Hughes and Joe Deighan, alongside Wycombe District’s Ella Dyson. The trio all picked up medals at the recent round of the LEN Open Water Cup in Serbia, with Hughes and Dyson taking gold and Deighan the bronze.

Barnet Copthall’s Fleur Lewis and City of Leeds’ Kennedy Denby are new additions to the team, as they both look to make the most of what will be a chance at valuable experience over the race programme.

Speaking on the selection of athletes, team manager Kevin Renshaw said:

“We are excited to be taking this group of swimmers to the European Championships. The team is a good mixture of youth and experience and due to this they will all have slightly different goals.

“The two senior male athletes will certainly be looking to challenge for the podium, while the younger swimmers will be gaining experience at this level, against a strong senior international field, for the first time – and that is always hugely valuable as they build for the future.

“Ella Dyson and Nathan Hughes’ last experience of an Open Water Championship was at European Junior level and that delivered medals for each of them.

“This is the first Championship meet at any level for Joe Deighan, Kennedy Denby and Fleur Lewis.

“We will be looking for strong, committed and intelligent performances from the whole team and they all use this as a platform to challenge for places as we move towards Paris 2024.”

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