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Chris Cook with members of the SwimFit class at Sunderland Baths
in at the deep
end with Chris Cook by Sarah Cordes
lympic bronze swimmer
and double Commonwealth
champion Chris Cook has seen
a lot of the world during his 35
years. But he reckons the experience that
comes close to beating everything else
is learning the secret of cooking the best
spaghetti Bolognese on the planet.
Since hanging up his trunks in 2009
after swimming in the finals of the Beijing
Olympics, Chris has been travelling the
country sharing his inspirational story
with the young and old alike.
His career started before he could even
paddle. And it was his mum he has to
thank. She’d been talking to a lifeguard,
when toddler Chris jumped straight into
the deep end - and had to be rescued!
Every Saturday thereafter he went
for swimming lessons, and with a
“barmy” teacher he was taught a key “life
skill”. Chris recalls: “It was not about
me learning a new sport; it was about
learning some life skills.”
During an eventful swimming career,
Chris considers his greatest achievement
was becoming double Commonwealth
champion in Melbourne, Australia in
G
J
P ROF I LE
2006. Back then, as Chris admits, “no one
expected me to win”.
Another career achievement was being
the first British male swimmer to beat
the 60-second barrier. “I was one of only
seven in swimming world history to do
it,” Chris beams, being faster than even
heroes he used to watch as a youngster.
Chris got to meet one of them, Adrian
Moorhouse who won gold at the Olympics
in 1988. They realised that they both
shared their swimming technique. To
share your technique with a hero, Chris
says was “amazing”.
Despite finding the passion for
swimming, he didn’t want to have to rely
on that. As Chris said, if he’d broken a leg
preparing for the Olympics, he wouldn’t
be able to do what he does now: going
into schools to inspire students to follow
their dreams.
Chris studied for a degree in Sport
Science and Psychology, as well as getting
jobs in pubs and clubs. “We would get up
4.30 most mornings and train twice a day
for two hours at a time,” Chris recalls.
He leans back when thinking about
being considered as a role model. He’s
taking the time delivering the right
message, and thinking about his own
experience. He hopes the students he
speaks to will take on board his story.
Although people should aim to live
their dreams and take the opportunities
given to them, Chris says that family has
also played an important part in his life.
“There would be no talk of swimming
because they didn’t know much about it.
It was a time where I could escape, and
then fall asleep in front of the television,”
he recalls. “It was tough not being able
to spend much time with them, but they
understood.”
What are his thoughts after taking
part in Buckingham School Personal
Challenge Week? The main thing, Chris
believes, is that inspiring pupils to pursue
their dreams should be done in every
school in the country.
Although the negative can often take
centre stage in life, being optimistic and
working through problems makes all the
difference, even if there is a chance of
failure. “You should always push yourself
to be the best and learn to cook italiano!”
Chris says.
FAN FAR E J U NE 2014 •15