Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Loughborough, ENG |
Higher education |
Sports Science - Loughborough University: England |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
His parents introduced him to the sport. |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, English footballer David Beckham and Russian swimmer Alexander Popov. (English Aquatics Team Media Guide, 2010; loughboroughswimming.com, 18 Apr 2012) |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began swimming at the Borough of Waltham Forest Swimming Club. |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Coach |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Foggy, Dan (loughboroughswimming.com, 18 Apr 2012; swimvortex.com, 13 Aug 2014) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"I really enjoy waking up every day, going to swim or going to the gym motivates me to do well. I put in so much work for the chance to succeed at big competitions and realise my dreams and ambitions. These dreams and ambitions motivate my every stroke in the pool." (gllsportfoundation.org, 18 Apr 2012) |
Other information |
RETIREMENT He retired from competitive swimming in 2016 after failing to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. He instead took up an assistant coach role at Hatfield Swimming Club in England. "It took a lot of time to narrow it down and come up with an idea of what I wanted to do. It was really hard because all I've done is swim for my whole life, I didn't know anything else. The job for Hatfield Swimming Club popped up and I knew they had a good name for themselves so I went for that and managed to land it." (whtimes.co.uk, 29 Jul 2016)
NARROWING FOCUS In February 2013 he decided to slowly phase out training for the 1500m freestyle and concentrate on improving in the 10km open water event in order to better his chances of winning a medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (guardian-series.co.uk, 28 Feb 2013)
SUB-15 In qualifying for the 1500m freestyle event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he became only the third British swimmer, and first English swimmer, to record a sub-15-minute time. His finishing time of 14:55.30 broke Ian Wilson's 1991 English record by over eight seconds. "It was just a matter of getting in and concentrating on my own race and doing what I wanted to do. To be in the same calibre as Graeme Smith and Dave Davies means so much to me." (swimming.org, 10 Mar 2012; walesonline.co.uk, 17 Apr 2012) |
Further Personal Information |
Languages |
English |