Olympian calls on swimmers of all abilities from across the Portsmouth area to take part in sponsored swimathon

Ex Team GB swimmer Mark Foster is urging anyone who enjoys swimming to take part in this year’s Swimathon to raise money for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.

All ages and abilities are welcome at the sponsored event taking place at pools across the Portsmouth area in May, including the Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Gosport Leisure Centre and Fareham Leisure Centre.

Mark said: ‘Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise, with a wide range of benefits for both your physical and mental health and is accessible to people with varying abilities and needs.

‘So, whether you’re a keen swimmer who is in the pool all the time, prefer to be in open water or if you are just dipping your toes in for the first time, Swimathon is the perfect challenge for everyone. That’s why I’m asking everyone to get involved and feel the benefits of this fantastic sport whilst raising money for two great charities in Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.’

Swimathon is the world’s largest annual swimming fundraiser with more than 750,000 swimmers have taken part since it started in 1986, raising over £55m for charitable causes.

Elisa Mitchell, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Hampshire, added: ‘One in two of us will get cancer, but all of us can support the research that will beat it. From proving the link between smoking and cancer to laying the foundations for modern radiotherapy – our scientists have been at the forefront of cancer research for 120 years.

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‘And we’re not stopping now. That’s why we’re urging swimmers to dive in this spring, raise money and help us keep investing in science today to deliver the treatments of tomorrow.’

Any swimmers who can’t make one of the organised sessions can sign up to MySwimathon, which takes place from April 29 to May 15, and choose a time and venue that suits them.

There are a variety of distances for participants to choose from - from 400 metres up to 30 kilometres.

Sign up for Swimathon 2022, which will take place between May 6 and 8, at swimathon.org. Between March 8 and 16, use code springsale35 for a 35 per cent discount.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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