We should always train all youngsters to swim, says Olympian Tom Dean

Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean has known as for extra youngsters to have entry to swimming swimming pools and classes.

The swimmer, who lives in Tub, instructed the BBC: “You get taught while you’re a toddler that crossing the highway is actually harmful however equally being secure within the water is simply as necessary.”

In line with Swim England, greater than 14 million individuals, round one in three adults in England, cannot swim one length of a 25m pool.

Mr Dean mentioned it was necessary for the difficulty to remain within the headlines amid information of leisure centre closures and squeezed faculty budgets throughout the nation.

Mr Dean, a triple Olympic gold medallist, mentioned that the youngsters of non-swimmers had been unlikely to be taught to swim, which might pose a hazard in the course of the summer time holidays.

“I am a giant advocate for each baby with the ability to go away faculty with the ability to swim the nationwide commonplace of 25 metres.

“Examination grades are a very necessary a part of their growth however you wish to develop fully rounded youngsters who will develop as much as be good swimmers,” he added.

The Division for Training (DfE) works with a range of organisations to enhance swimming and water security expertise as a part of the first faculty curriculum.

Its said goal is to allow youngsters to swim at the least 25 metres unaided.

The DfE has additionally mentioned that faculties may help understanding with additional schooling on the dangers round water in PSHE classes.

The federal government just lately introduced £320m of funding for major faculties to spend money on PE enhancements, which may embody swimming programmes.

Mr Dean is now busy coaching for the Commonwealth Video games and is aiming to compete on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

He nonetheless finds time to advocate for swimming classes, which he mentioned had develop into an actual “ardour undertaking”.

“I’ve slowly began realising that it has been a massively necessary matter to debate on this nation,” he mentioned.

The Olympian, who gained gold within the males’s 4x200m freestyle relay in Paris in 2024, added: “I do a sport the place it is not even a sport, it is a life ability, and swimming can truly save your life.”