Athlete at St Mary’s Secures Place in European Deaf Swimming Championships

Tom Baxter, a Strength and Conditioning undergraduate student at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, has been selected to represent Team Great Britain in the European Deaf Swimming Championships later this year. Tom, who was a finalist in the 4x100m and 4x200m Freestyle events, plus the 4x100m medley relay at the 2013 Deaflympics in Bulgaria, joined St Mary’s in September and was in the first cohort of students to be awarded a prestigious Mo Farah Scholarship. He has been selected to represent team GB at the European Deaf Swimming Championships, which will take place from 22nd to 30th June in Russia. Tom said, “I am delighted to have been selected to swim for Great Britain for the fifth time. As yet I do not know what events I will be asked to participate in, but I am hoping to be given the chance to swim in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle events and in the three men’s relays. “The Mo Farah Scholarship will enable me to train both in the pool and in the gym, as well as helping with the costs of competition, and I am extremely grateful for the support it brings.” St Mary’s Director for Sport Andrew Reid-Smith commented, “We are delighted for Tom that he’s been selected yet again to compete for GB at a major championship. The partnership between St Mary’s and the Mo Farah Foundation provides specialist support that will help Tom to develop and keep performing at the highest level.” In addition to racing in a number of national and international competitions, Tom is also a member of the Great Britain Deaf Swimming Club Committee, which helps to raise awareness and contributes to the future plans of deaf swimming. The Mo Farah Scholarship was launched at St Mary’s in 2013 in partnership with the Mo Farah Academy as a way to provide financial and technical support to elite athletes. Each year four athletes will be selected for the scheme.