Meet Paul

When did you start swimming?

I started to learn how to swim when I was around 11 years old at the old Kirkcaldy Pool, I was recommended to start swimming by my doctor as being in the water would be therapeutic towards my disability.

When did you get involved in competitive swimming?

My first competition was in the old Dundee pool in 1978 I think. I was about twelve years old and I was swimming for Disability Sport Fife. I was one of the first to swim for them and I won two medals!

Could you tell us a bit about your disability?

I was born with a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta or more commonly known as Brittle Bones disease. This causes my bones to break very easily, and affects fingers, shoulders, arms, legs and ankles, and I have a weakness down one side. For swimming it is especially my legs which have been the most affected – I don’t have much of a kick.

When did you join Glenrothes club?

I joined the club in 1983 but I also swam for Disability Sport Fife twice a week, and I did Swimfit for a bit of extra training. However, I never swam competitively for any clubs other than Glenrothes and Disability Sport Fife.

For how many years were you involved in competitive swimming?

Around thirty years! I swam in a lot of competitions and my first Paralympics was in 1984 in New York, then I completed at Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). I kept swimming after that but in 2008 I broke my leg in Dundee, where it all started, and that was that - my last competition.

As a disabled swimmer, did you have to make any adjustments to the training schedule?

There were a few adjustments to training – for example, I did used to kick with one fin on for extra support. There were lots of swimmers with different disabilities, and they all had to adapt in different ways. The coaches here at Glenrothes were excellent at making adaptations for any disabilities. Glenrothes used to be the centre of excellence for disability swimming and was recognised nationally, and gained funding from British Swimming for this as well.

What events were you best known for?

By the end I had swum most events. My main swims were my 400m Free and 200m Individual Medley. When I swam at the British Championships, I won the 50m breaststroke and 50m Back. Once my fitness improved, I also swam 100m Butterfly. At the end of my career my last swim was 100m free.

You were known to do well on the big occasions - what helped you perform at your best on race day?

Well, race day was very much just the end of the process. I would have a sit down with the coaches early in the season and plan out how it was going to go, to achieve the goals we wanted. This included any competitions we wanted to go and any times we were aspiring to achieve. It would be all be planned out so when it came to race day there was nothing to distract us. I found that it was important to always be there in good time, and to make sure I kept my focus – it is easy in a long meet like SNAGS, which is five days, to lose momentum. Thanks to my coaches, the plan worked 90% of the time over a long career.

What was the happiest moment in your swimming career?

Winning gold in the 200m IM at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics might be my happiest moment in swimming. When the competition finished, the whole of the Swim Team got together in a little room near the beach for a presentation of achievements. It felt as if the whole team were cheering me only and with all the pressure was gone, it was just a great time to be with my teammates.

What was your best achievement in your career?

Winning four Paralympic Golds were the highlights of my career. My personal favourite, as I’ve said, was in the 200 Individual Medley in Barcelona 1992. My main opposition was the current world record holder in the event, so I went into the race with some worries! However, I held out and managed to touch the wall first by 0.03s while setting a brand-new world record for the time. I never got to within three seconds of that time again in my career, but that was my time and I performed at my absolute best.

What was it like to swim in the Paralympics?

The first Paralympics I attended was very different – it was at a University campus in New York. It was smaller, meaning that there was very little promotion of it on TV or in the media. I swam all seven races in one day! When I swam in Seoul, a church group cheered me on. In Barcelona, the swimming took place in the outdoor pool that had been used for the Olympic Games weeks earlier. The crowd there was amazing, and so big that they had to reopen some of the stands that they had used for the Olympics. By the time the Paralympics got the Atlanta and Sydney, the Paralympics were well established and were watched by huge crowds. It was a great privilege for me to be a part of all of this.

What was it like to be awarded the MBE? How did you find out and who presented it to you?

I found out I was being presented it through a letter I received in the post, just before the 2002 Commonwealth Games. I was awarded it by Prince (now King) Charles at Buckingham Palace. This was close to the end of my career and was a great conclusion to my career. The hardest part about it was having to make sure my family did not tell anybody about it as it was not meant to be shared with anybody!

Did you ever get fed up with swimming and wanted leave?

Yes, I did. Swimming is a hard sport with long hours and it can be gruelling training. However, I was encouraged to keep going by my teammates and by my coaches, and others who were around at the time – we had a good training squad. The one thing I would say to younger swimmers is that is easier to keep going if you keep your fitness levels up.

You have been involved as a TV broadcaster. Were you involved in the Paris Paralympics?

Yes, I was commentating on the Paris Paralympic Games on Channel 4 last year. It was my 6th Paralympics in the media. I first started by filming other people's races for them and commentating on them and giving them it as a gift for Christmas. I then took a step up by commenting on the Glenrothes Spring Meet and other smaller galas. I then moved up to the bigger Scottish National meets such as The Scottish Open Championships and the Edinburgh International and now I am a swimming commentator for Channel 4 on major swimming championships. With many different disabilities and the mixing of the two gender classes it turns into a bit of a commentator's nightmare, however it is worth it as they are most often the most exciting to watch. A lot of homework is definitely needed to effectively commentate and communicate this information to the audience as there are constantly new people coming into the sport and performing at such an outstanding level.

And finally, what advice do you have for up and coming swimmers here at the club?

Make sure you are enjoying what you are doing – if you fall in love with the sport, it makes it easier! This sport creates a great social space as you are in the water with your teammates day in and day out, always at competitions and cheering for each other. Being part of swimming has allowed me to see the world, and I am still in contact with the friends I made over my 25 years in the water. Glenrothes is, and always has been a great club – just enjoy the time you have here.

Our thanks to Paul and to our two interviewers who did such a sterling job!