'Thank you for honouring us with your event' - Crawley to host first ever British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships

The British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships will take place at K2 on the weekend of November 19 and 20.

And at the launch event for the championships at K2 there was genuine excitement and pride. You can watch the press conference at the launch event in the video above.

This unique event will provide opportunity for swimmers with Down syndrome from across Great Britain, from novices to athletes who have represented Great Britain at European and World Down syndrome swimming championships.

Aiming to capture the interest and enthusiasm generated by the fantastic performance of Team GB at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, this is a first for swimmers with Down syndrome who are not currently represented in the British Paralympic team.

And Crawley Borough Council leader Peter Lamb said the town was honoured to be hosting the event. He said: "We are very proud of this facility, it has been used by a lot of leading athletes over the years. We were a training camp for a lot of Olympic teams at the London 2021 Olympics.

"We have been host to a number of championships overs the years.

"As you came up the stairs today you will have a seen a number of the leading sports figures who have been associated with this community.

"One thing we have never done is been the starting point for a championship or a competition and it really is exciting to see the athletes here today and I am very confident this will be the starting point of your journey through to getting to the Paralympics.

"We really hope that road leads straight from K2 here today to the Paralympics. Thank you for honouring us with your event."

Swimmer and world record holder Mark Evans is excited to be able compete in these championships. The 25-year-old from Hitchin said: "I am very excited to be at the launch of the championships. The facilities are pretty good and I like it here."

Mark is the current world record holder for 1500m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle 1500m is long course and short course.

He added: "The British Swimming team is really good and certainly helped me get more confidence in myself."

His mum Julie said: "He joined our local mainstream club when he was 11 and then started doing disability galas and got picked up by the GB team when he was 14 and went to first world championships at 16.

"We thought from the beginning it was a really important thing to do from a safety and physical point of view. He has always loved the water. It was a freedom he never had on land. As he has gone through his swimming we have seen his self confidence grow. Achieving in swimming has set him on a good path for all of his life."

Paralympic star Ellie Challis, who won a silver at Tokyo, was the event to support the swimmers and the event. She said: "I didn’t know they didn't have a championships, I trained with Down Syndrome swimmers at my club before I moved to Manchester and it’s been nice the last couple couple of years to see them in internationals.

"I am so glad they are getting a championship like the rest of us do. It should all be fair and I am surprised they have not been included before this."

Florence Garrett, 28, is the British team captain. She said: "It's very exciting for all of us to come here and compete here. When I walked up the steps I was amazed how many Olympic and Paralympians have come up those steps.

"I hope there will be category for me and my team at the Paralympics. I want us to contribute not only to our own competitions. We want to train and compete with you guys [to Ellie Challis].

"It’s really cool here. I have been in the pool before and I love being in this environment."

Tracey McCillen, CEO UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability, said: "I am thrilled to be here today and very grateful to Down Syndrome Swimming GB for inviting me along.

"I am incredibly impressed and thrilled that from that very early nugget of a conversation I had with members of the committee that this has now come to the place where it is being launched as a National Championships.

"It’s going to be an incredibly important event. The first of its kind. I hope it will start the narrative in Britain about full inclusion of swimmers with Down Syndrome in governing body pathways and competitive pathways and enabling all those swimmers who want to to achieve at the highest level.

"The UK Sports Association is very proud of our association with DSSGB and log may that continue."

See also Crawley to host first swimming championships where Down syndrome swimmers can compete at the highest level for first time | 'It is the result of the hard work and dedication of all our staff and children' - Crawley primary school celebrates positive Ofsted report | Crawley Question Time 2022: Friends of Goffs Park ask ‘The kiosk is the heart of Goffs Park, and the park needs it back!’

For the latest breaking news where you live in Sussex, follow us on Twitter @Sussex_World and like us on Facebook @SussexWorldUK