Excel'ing in Lockdown

18 Apr 2020

Spearheaded by European junior silver medallist Mia Slevin, whose parents both work frontline NHS, Derbyshire based club Derventio eXcel raise funds in a lockdown challenge.

The swimming community has already come together in a number of fantastic ways to support charitable causes during the current climate, with Adam Peaty notably raising over £13,000 with a raffle of the swimming trunks he wore to win the 100m Breaststroke gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games.

And in a week where all eyes would have been on the 2020 British Swimming Championships, a number of Britain's top young athletes instead set their focus on a fundraising challenge set out by Derventio eXcel head coach, Jamie Main, to complete 2020 strokes in a mini pool using a bungee, using swim cords or doing step ups.

European junior silver medallist Mia Slevin who was at the forefront of the effort spoke to BBC East Midlands Today, commenting:

"Both my parents work for the NHS, and my Dad's on ICU so he's working with COVID-19 patients. This was all just about trying to help swimmers get their head around it and still giving us all something positive to do." 

She was joined in the 'Challenge 2020' effort by European junior bronze medallist (and DX training partner) Jacob Whittle, and European Youth Olympic Festival Gold medallist Katie Shanahan as several hundred fellow swimmers, parents and relatives participated in the challenge across the country, raising a total of over £2,500.

Video credit: BBC East Midlands Today