Paralympian Claire Cashmore inspires Rochdale school pupil

Claire Cashmore with Keira and Mrs Garner

London 2012 silver medallist Claire Cashmore has inspired an 8-year-old Kiera Fox to learn to swim in just a year.

Kiera, who like her swimming hero was born without a forearm, is now set to take on her first swimming challenge alongside the Paralympic star and two classmates in the British Gas SwimBritain team relay at Manchester’s Aquatics Centre on Saturday 21 September.

Following a swimming lesson in 2012 with her school St John with St Michael, Keira was inspired to accomplish her goal of learning to swim after reading about the Paralympian’s highly successful career through a school research project.

Since learning of Kiera’s goal, Claire, who trains in Stockport, has leant her support over the past six months through Skype chats and in June this year attended the school’s swimming gala to watch Kiera make her swimming debut.

The plucky swimmer and her classmates were invited to watch Claire and other top British swimmers compete at the British Gas Swimming Championships earlier this year and Kiera also received an exclusive coaching session from Claire, with the help of fellow world champion swimmer Dan Pepper who was on hand to give some coaching advice.

Claire, who is preparing to compete at the 2013 IPC World Championships in Montreal this August, said: “When Kiera’s schoolteacher got in touch, I was really moved by her determination to learn to swim and honoured that she saw me as an inspiration.

"It’s so important to encourage a new generation of disabled and able-bodied swimmers and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Kiera develop over the past six months to become a fantastic little swimmer.

"I’m really looking forward to joining her and her classmates for the Manchester British Gas SwimBritain on the 21 September.”

Kate Garner, who teaches at St John with St Michael, commented: “Kiera only started swimming last year so it’s amazing to see how far she’s come. With Claire’s support her confidence has been boosted and she has flourished in the water.

"We’re so proud that Kiera and her classmates will be swimming alongside Claire at SwimBritain and I know Kiera is really looking forward to the challenge.”

British Gas SwimBritain is a new programme which aims to encourage half a million more people to swim regularly by 2015, consisting of a swimming relay challenge for teams of four with each team member swimming a distance of 1000m. The event is open to swimmers of all abilities and will take place in pools around the country, and one open water venue, between 31 August and 29 September.

The SwimBritain Manchester event takes place on Saturday 21 September at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.