Olympics and Paralympics / olympics
Bristol artistic swimming duo hope to end 40-year Olympic medal drought
In the 40-year history of the sport, Great Britain has never won an Olympic medal. Artistic swimming, previously known as synchronised swimming, has never been Britain’s strong suit.
But two young Bristol swimmers are determined to make history.
23-year-old Izzy Thorpe will compete alongside her 22-year-old duet partner Kate Shortman.
is needed now More than ever
The pair have had a gruelling preparation regime for the competition, training ten hours a day for six days a week.
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Both Izzy and Kate are following in the footsteps of their mothers, who themselves were synchronised swimming partners and just missed out on qualifying for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Izzy has said her mum, Karen Thorpe, is a “massive inspiration” to her.
The story began for Izzy and Kate when they were eight-year-olds at Filton Leisure Centre, where they performed a perfectly synchronised routine to rapturous applause.
They then became schoolmates at Clifton High School and grew up together.
The Thorpe and Shortman families are very close: they often eat dinner together and even own the same breed of dog.
As the Paris Olympics looms large, Izzy and Kate are determined to start afresh after the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
The duo’s Spanish Flamenco routine with a Japanese twist wowed commentators but failed to win them a medal.
What difference does four years make?
In the 2024 World Championships, Kate and Izzy made history with Britain’s first-ever duet medal, taking silver in the technical routine and bronze in the free routine.
Ahead of Paris, Izzy said: “I’m hoping to achieve a medal. Obviously, everyone is in it to win it and we want to win gold.
“We’ve done a few competitions and been climbing the rankings. We’re going into the competition seeded second so fingers crossed it all goes well.
“Just to get on the podium would be incredible. For everyone that’s worked alongside me and Kate, my friends, family, university, school, everyone that’s helped support me to this point in my career.
“And for artistic swimming as a sport, hopefully, it would encourage more boys and girls into the sport and bring more exposure to artistic swimming.”
Izzy will be entering her final year of her sports rehabilitation degree at UWE Bristol in September.
She explained: “Once I finish my degree, hopefully I’ll work in sports rehab. It’s very close to the sport I’m competing in and I’d love to go on and work in sports.”
The pair have had a gruelling preparation regime for the competition, training ten hours a day for six days a week – photo: Team GB
Jedd Billing, deputy dean of the School of Health and Social Wellbeing at UWE Bristol said: “Izzy’s shown exceptional dedication to her sport and to be seeded in second place entering the Olympics shows that her hard work is really paying off.
“We wish her so much luck for the competition and will be supporting her from back home in Bristol.”
Main photo: Hannah Stewart
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