Simmonds keen for a Welsh turnout during Swimathon Weekend

British Swimming's Big Splash Post a comment

Posted: Monday 9th January 2012 | 19:25

DOUBLE Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds joined a host of Swansea locals at the Wales National Pool on Thursday to mark the launch of the world's largest fundraising swim.

ALL ABOARD: Double Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds wants people to take part in this year's Swimathon Weekend

Simmonds led swimmers, club members and schools in a special mass training session to encourage Welsh residents to enter this year's Swimathon Weekend.

Now in its 25th year, Swimathon has joined forces with British Swimming's Big Splash, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sport Relief to hold the world's biggest fundraising swim.

Participants can swim the Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief or the 2.5km, 5km or team 5km challenges for Marie Curie Cancer Care at 645 pools throughout the UK from the April 27-29.

And Simmonds, who also has four World Championship titles and an MBE for her services to swimming, was delighted to endorse the mass participation event

"I was really pleased to be asked to help out for what is a great cause," said Simmonds - who became Britain's youngest-ever individual gold medallist at the Olympics or Paralympics in 2008.

"Swimming is such a great sport as not only does it help you with fitness and things like that but it also is a lot of fun and that is what a lot of people are realising.

"It gets people out more and doing something that they can aim for and I really think it is important that we have events like this that can hopefully kick-start someone's love for a sport.

"Since the beginning of the Swimathon over half a million people have taken part and to do so for a good cause and that is fantastic.

"They are always really well supported and have lots of people getting involved and I am sure this one will be no different as Olympic and Paralympic fever grips the country."

Swimmers can register to take part in a Swimathon Weekend challenge at swimathon.org. For more information visit - http://www.swimathon.org/