Marathon swimmer Pardoe hungry to make his mark

Hector Pardoe has perhaps been more concerned about the water quality of the Seine than most.

The marathon swimmer is back for his second Games and, if the water quality allows, he will get to take part in what should be an iconic event in the centre of Paris.

He will start with high hopes, too, after winning bronze at this year’s World Championships.

Last year he set a new world record for the fastest swim across Lake Windermere – but marathon swimming can be a brutal event at times.

You may remember the photo of the cut around Wrexham-born Pardoe’s eye after he was hit by a rogue elbow in Tokyo.

It ultimately ended his Olympic experience last time, but don’t rule him out if he can stay out of trouble in Paris.

“I was hungry as a 20-year-old going into Tokyo. But after receiving that [injury] and having that Olympic dream cut short, it’s really pushed me to new levels of motivation and discipline,” he said.

The men’s marathon swimming event takes place at 06:30 BST on Friday, 9 August.