Meet Our Sponsored swimmers

amber keegan

Club: City of Sheffield Swim Squad, Munich Swimming

-Age: 24

-Tell us about yourself: When not in the pool I'm doing a PhD in making nano-sized silica via a bio-inspired method & I'm a campaigner at Our Streets Now

I started swimming as a life skill! Then I joined a tiny club called Bingham SC because my parents swam there and it made sense to swim at the same time. I got into Nova (Notts County Squad) on my 2nd trial with them and that's when the competitive side picked up more. I was a scrappy little swimmer, not gifted technically at all, but gifted with a very competitive spirit! I did a lot of sport as a kid but it was swimming that drew me most

There's so much I love about swimming - the grit, the team, the travel. Mostly, I love being in the water. It's so peaceful and the one place where any other thoughts and worries from the day vanish and it's just about putting one arm in front of the other.

My least favourite skill is kick sets. I'm embarrassingly poor.

My biggest international achievement was my European Jnr silver medal in 4 IM. My most impressive achievement in my opinion though is getting back to my best training ever in 2019 after years of illness and injury (just in time for covid to hit!).

My biggest pet peeve is people not brewing tea for long enough. Why ruin the perfect drink?

In the next year one aim is to make the England team for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In my spare time I adore hikes in the peak district (especially if friends and dogs feature), climbing, reading, board games and going to gigs.

My earliest memory is visiting my Aunt and Uncle when they lived in Boston - playing pokemon in hallway and visiting the Salem Witch museum...

My most memorable travel experience was probably a recent training camp in Bangkok has been my favourite! The temples were awe inspiring, the markets were amazing and the pad thai was unequalled. I can't wait to go back.

Something people don't know about me is that I do swing dance (v casually)!

One thing I'm bad at is drawing. When playing drawful or similar I am an amusing person to have around but a terrible one to have on your team!

If I could be any fictional character it would be Danaerys because dragons (from the book not TV show...).

If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be porridge (always with PB, usually with raspberry jam and fruit too).

Molly James

- Club Winsford Swimming Club

- Age 24

- Tell us aboutyourself (still in school/what you’re studying/working) Swimming Coach/Teacher & Freelance Photography

AS Qs

- What got you into the sport – describe your journey in the sport?

- What do you love most about your sport? The tranquility of the sound of underwater

- Favourite skill? Coaching and helping others to love the sport.

- What do you want to achieve in your sport? Excel at Masters level and continue and enjoy and love swimming! To share my passion and encourage others to get involved.

General Qs/Fun Facts

- What is a goal you want to accomplish in the next year? Great open water races, if galas go ahead some PB’s! Unknown due to Covid. Finally, complete my first ever triathlon.

- What do you like to do in your spare time? Photography, Cycling, Strength Training, Pilates

- What accomplishment are you most proud of? Getting over my fear of Open Water swimming and finding a love for it- going on to winning races.

- If you could possess one superpower, what would it be and why? Super-speed! So I burn calories even faster and eat even more!

- What is one thing most people don’t know about you? My family originated from Nepal and I have extended family in India and Nepal.

- What is something that you’re really bad at? Resting/Sitting still! Need to take rest days more but love to train!

- What is your favourite way to unwind after a long day? Listening to Music.

- If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pasta!

- What is your most used emoji? 😂

- If you won the lottery what is the first thing you would do? Massive Holiday, travel the world!

- How do you define success? Achieving a goal you set out to achieve.

Charl Grant

Bio Coming Soon.