PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Local lad shines at first
Olympic Games!
Over the next two editions we’re excited to share an interview with Jacob Whittle, the 16 year old swimmer from Alfreton who became the youngest swimmer ever to make the British Olympic team. This month we look at how he began his swimming career.
Did you always love the water? Yes I did - my mum first took me to a mother and toddler session when I was maybe 1 year old and we went together every week. As soon as I was old enough my parents signed me up in a learn to swim programme - they aren’t swimmers but wanted me to learn to swim and not to be afraid of the water.
How old were you when you first learned to swim? I was 3 years old, possibly younger, I just transitioned from the mother and toddler water rhymes sessions where me and my mum were in the water together singing nursery rhymes. I went every week to learn to swim sessions on a Saturday at Water Meadows, Mansfield.
When did you realise you had the ability to swim competitively? I joined Ripley Amateur Swimming Club & Life-Saving (RASCALS) when I was 8 or 9, but I was 10 before I attended my first swimming competition. Derbyshire County Championships was my first major competition, and I didn’t make a final but the following year at the same competition I pretty much won every event I swam. At that age I was swimming all strokes and distances. I competed at the Regional Championships (East Midlands) and came away with a handful of gold medals, and I was given the opportunity to supplement my training at RASCALS by joining Dervenio Excel on a part time basis, moving to full time 6 months later as part of their national squad. From the age of 12 I was selected each year to be part of the talent programmes for Swim England. In 2019 at the age of 14, I qualified for the British Swimming Championships and whilst there I swam a huge lifetime best breaking the British record for aged 14 in 100m Freestyle. As a result of this competition I was selected for the European Junior Championships and European Youth Olympic Festival. Later that year I was selected onto British Swimming’s Podium Potential Programme.
How many hours a day do you train? Usually it is 4hrs per day in the pool and then I also do gym and circuit sessions a few times a week too.
Do you eat a special diet? No, but I eat a balanced healthy diet, with lots of greens, lots of food rich in iron, fish, chicken, plenty of carbs, lots of fruit, milk and I also drink lots of water. At the end of the day I am a teenager and my parents have always allowed me to eat like a teenager in moderation, which means I will have treats sometimes! Next month, Jacob tells us about his Olympic experience.
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