Olympic gold medallist Adam Peaty to inspire young swimmers in Harrogate

The 26 year old is holding a swim clinic at Ashville College

Author: May NormanPublished 23rd Aug 2021

Swimming superstar and soon-to-be Strictly Come Dancing 2021 contestant, Adam Peaty MBE, will be swapping the Olympic pool in Tokyo for one in Harrogate where he will be inspiring the next generation of world-beating athletes.

Adam Peaty, who claimed Team GB’s first gold medal in this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and went on to win another gold and a silver, making him the most successful British swimmer in more than a century, is bringing his Race Clinic to Ashville College on Monday, August 23.

The sell-out event, which is being staged in the College’s Sports Centre, is one of ten taking place across the UK, and the only one in Yorkshire.

Being held for swimmers aged eight to 17, Adam and his team have created the ultimate inspirational day, bringing together support for both athletes and parents to have the best experience possible on their swimming journey.

Adam Peaty won the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2016 Summer Olympics and made history last month by becoming the first British swimmer ever to retain an Olympic title. He is also an eight-time World Champion, a 16-time European Champion, and a three-time Commonwealth Champion.

Adam Peaty’s appearance at Ashville College comes just weeks after one of the biggest names in world ballet, Wayne Sleep, also visited the independent school which was hosting the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.

The Adam Peaty Race Clinic features three ‘swim stations’:

• Station 1: ‘Breaststroke technique station & Pull Out’ station led by Adam Peaty and Edward Baxter, a British swimming champion and record holder.

• Station 2: A ‘Land’ session led by Robert Norman, who is Adam Peaty's gym coach. There will be a heavy focus on injury prevention.

• Station 3: The ‘Racing Edge’ Station led by Tim Shuttleworth, who competed in the men’s 1500m freestyle event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He will give insights on how to gain the mental edge necessary to compete successfully.

After the practical training sessions of each swim clinic, Adam enjoys sharing his lessons, wins, losses, and biggest learning experiences with the course participants. The day normally finishes with a Q&A session.

The aim of the Race Clinics is to “make it something that people had never seen before and do something that is often missed out in the swimming world... teaching young swimmers how to race”.

Duncan Archer, Head of Swimming, Athletics and Sports Development at Ashville, said: “Adam is a national hero, one of our greatest ever Olympians, and an inspiration for young swimmers keen to emulate his success in the pool.

“A few short weeks ago, he was in the Olympic pool, in Tokyo, and soon he’ll be in our pool!”

Anna Rakusen-Guy, Ashville's Events and Lettings Manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Adam and his team have chosen Ashville for one of their ten race clinics, and the only one in Yorkshire.

“Our sports facility, which includes a heated 30m swimming pool, are used by a variety of different sports clubs and individuals throughout the year.

“Over the years, they have been home to a number of different sport camps, including the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy, the Louis Smith Gymnastics Academy, plus others coaching rugby, netball and hockey.”

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