We’re over the moon to announce that we have formed a partnership with 2x Olympic Silver medallist, Commonwealth and European Champion freestyle swimmer Jazz Carlin to encourage more people of all ages and abilities to get back in the water following the devastating Covid-19 outbreak.
With leisure centres up and down the country now reopen again, it’s the perfect time to rediscover your love of the water or dip your toe in and learn to swim for the first time.
Swimming is a fantastic sport to get involved in whether you’re looking to do it competitively or just for fun. It’s one of the only type of workouts that uses every single major muscle group in the body so we’re delighted to team up with Jazz to get more people active through swimming.
And if there’s someone who knows a thing or two about swimming then it’s definitely our new ambassador Jazz who’s been there, done it and got the medal to prove it. Jazz’s swimming journey began as a baby when she was taken to the local pool by her dad before joining a ‘Learn to Swim’ programme at the age of five-years-old.
Jazz took to the sport like a duck to water and naturally progressed through the squads at the local swimming club, competing against her peers throughout her junior years. Although Jazz may not have been the fastest swimmer at a young age, it was her determination, competitive streak and, most importantly, love of the sport that continued to push her to be the best she could be.
She qualified for her first national championships at the age of eleven and got quicker each year until she won the title aged 14.
After seeing sporting heroes like Paula Radcliffe and Kelly Holmes achieve Olympic success, it was at 16-years-old when Jazz’s dream of being a professional swimmer became a reality and her goal of competing at the Olympics materialised. She moved away from her home in Swindon to Swansea and was put into an elite swimming senior programme.
The step up to the national and professional level was an eye-opener for Jazz but it pushed her to be better and work harder. It was here she was taught about the importance of training, turning up on time, what to eat, how to train, how to relax, and all things you need to do as a senior athlete.
By 18-years-old the hard work was beginning to pay off and Jazz qualified for her first World Championships with Team GB before then setting her sights on the London 2012 Olympics.
Unfortunately for Jazz and Team GB, glandular fever stopped her in her tracks and she missed out on competing at the once-in-a-lifetime event.
Despite the major setback and disappointment, Jazz began a new four-year Olympic cycle and this time nothing was going to stop her from reaching the podium at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The reward was sweet as she went on to claim two silver medals in the 400m and 800m Freestyle events.
As well as fulfilling her dream of competing at the Olympics, over the course of her 14-year professional career Jazz became a European and Commonwealth champion, winning 13 international medals including the British 800m Freestyle title in her final swim at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh.
Since retiring from the sport, Jazz continues to swim as much as she can and has also launched her ‘Swim with Jazz’ programme, which looks to encourage more people to swim and help them reach their goals with support, advice and unique training plans.
We’re delighted to be working with Jazz to help promote the benefits of swimming for an active and healthy lifestyle, and to get more people in the water, whether that be at the local leisure centre or outdoor pool. Over the coming year, we’ll be running a series of articles, competitions and Q&As with Jazz about how you can get involved in swimming, get better and train in the best possible way.
Keep your eyes peeled on our website and social media for further information and be sure to check out www.swimwithjazz.co.uk for more top tips and advice.
