Humanity Hallows Issue 6 Out Now
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Callum McLeod recently caught up with Paralympian swimmer Ollie Hynd MBE to ask him about his plans for this summer’s World Championships and next year’s Commonwealth Games

By Callum McLeod

At the age of just 22, Ollie Hynd has already left a significant mark on the world of swimming, but he’s striving for more success.

He’s won more than thirty international and national medals, most recently at the Rio Paralympics with two world record golds in the S8 400m freestyle and S8 200m individual medley. Also, Ollie is part of an elite group of swimmers to hold the ‘Grand Slam’: simultaneous Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles.

Now his aim is to take more gold medals at the 2018 Commonweath Games in Australia – being held, appropriately enough, on the Gold Coast.

His immediate focus is the British trials in Sheffield in July, to qualify for this year’s World Championships and next year’s Commonwealth Games.

“I went to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and really enjoyed it and managed to win gold. I want to go again and defend my title, that’s my medium-term goal – but of course the World Championships are very important and I want to win gold there too.”

Whilst competing in the Commonwealth games, Ollie is looking forward to seeing the country for the first time.

“I’ve never been to Australia… to go to that side of the world and be able to experience the culture of Australia will be great.”

Ollie began swimming at an early age, introduced by his parents aged two.

“My parents wanted me to swim, just as a life skill. I went through all the badge schemes until I was seven years old when I joined my local swimming club, Sutton, and got into the competitive route from there.”

Watching his brother Sam win gold at the Beijing Olympics inspired Ollie to swim too.

“I was thirteen; a typical kid off doing everything and not really wanting to put in the hard work. But that was the moment where I knew I wanted to do this properly and really make a go of it.

“If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have been as successful in the pool. He was definitely a role model”

As an international athlete Ollie has a vigorous training regime and schedule – with plenty of early starts.

“I get up at 5.20am to be in the water about 6am, stretch off, then swim for an hour and a half. From there I’ll go straight to the gym for another hour and a half. Then I recover and rest, to be back in the water again for 5pm.

“Even though it sounds obvious the best advice I could give is to make sure you sleep enough. Also, when the alarm goes off get moving straight away!”

Ollie’s neuro-muscular myopathy makes every part of training and competing more difficult.

“I have weakened muscles, mainly in my legs but also in my hands as well. It affects my co-ordination a bit. So when I’m swimming I’ve got less muscle power and less muscle mobility. I don’t have much of a kick, it’s more for balance than propulsion.”

This elite athlete is the first to acknowledge the team helping him prepare for success in the pool.

“Yes, it’s a team effort; not just me,” he laughs. “My coach in the pool is Glen Smith. Tim Stevenson and David Jackson are my strength and conditioning coaches. My parents are the nucleus of my support system. When I was younger they drove me every day and got up at silly hours.”

To stay in top shape Ollie has to stick to his nutritional plan, but he has a guilty pleasure.

“Ice cream! I’m a big fan of ice cream, my favourite is vanilla. I can’t eat much of it, but if you never ate anything bad you’d probably go insane and you wouldn’t want to do all those hours in the pool.”

Away from training, he likes to relax by listening to music, watching football, horror films and…The Simpsons.

“I’m a big football fan. When I’m off travelling the world and at events I look forward to sitting down and watching the football. I’ve always been a big fan of the Simpsons: it’s classic.

“I’m a massive Kanye West fan too. I listen before any race. I’m very much into fashion, sneakers and things like that and he’s big in that world too.”

As Ollie prepares for an 18-month period of competition that may add significantly to his medal haul, he reflects on his success so far and is thankful that his career has been relatively injury-free.

“Probably the worst injury I’ve had was in 2012 when I fractured my wrist at the trials. I had to recover in just six weeks for London. In the end I did, but that was a point when doubts began to creep in; I thought maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

Having hit that moment and emerged both wiser and very successful, Ollie has this advice.

“Never give up! Think about the goals you’ve set yourself and why you set out to do this in the first place. That will help you get through the tough times.”