Hector Pardoe: Olympian completes ‘Three Peaks’ swim problem

The Welsh swimmer has confronted many bouts of sickness all through his open-water swimming profession as a result of high quality of water all over the world and says he should put together fastidiously when heading right into a problem of this scale.

“I have to take all sorts of precautions, like a shot of Pepto-Bismol before and after,” he stated.

“Precautionary antibiotics, I’ve got to clean my face and hands immediately after getting out of the water before touching anything.”

All to make sure he prevents selecting up an sickness from micro organism within the water, akin to E. coli which is often brought on by sewage within the water.

He additionally monitored his hydration all through the problem and had water high quality displays monitoring the info in real-time throughout his three-lake swim.

Despite coaching in Italy, he was not afraid to sort out the temperature distinction of the waters within the UK.

“I was originally planning on doing it without a wetsuit,” he stated.

“I was so naive and complacent thinking that I could do it in skins. I’m quite a low body fat percentage because I’m training so much.

“I’m probably not constructed for enduring actually chilly waters. So yeah, I wore a wetsuit and I nonetheless struggled a bit of bit with it.”

Pardoe broke the record for the fastest crossing of Loch Lomond, going end to end in seven hours and 46 minutes – the previous record was held by James Leitch in his 2012 men’s record of nine hours and 16 minutes.

The Welshman is also the first person to swim the three biggest lakes in England, Scotland and Wales and now has his target set on challenging for a medal in the Los Angeles Olympics.

“I’m doing these swims and challenges, however they’re all constructing as much as the LA Olympics [10km Open Water Swim] and I by no means need to do a problem that might take away from making ready for that,” Pardoe defined.

He says he “all the time learns one thing from each swim” and plans to take part in two major swims in 2026.

“I’ve already began planning a fair greater one and this would be the greatest swim that I’ll ever do most likely in my complete life,” he added.

“It’s thought of the crown jewel of all of the water swimming. It’s the longest ever swim unassisted in impartial waters and the file is 168km.

“That’s going to be enormous and I can do it. It’s a pretty cool achievement to be at one point in your life someone who swam the furthest possible.”

He additionally plans to beat the file swim for the Manhattan Island, a forty five.9km circumnavigation of the island, well-known for its New York City skyscrapers, a file beforehand held by Andy Donaldson, however lately damaged by David Olvera on 26 June.

Pardoe’s subsequent problem might be to signify Wales in a relay swim down the River Thames on 1 September, additionally to boost cash for Surfers Against Sewage.