let's speak to mike now, who's at the the london aquatics centre this morning. 0. let us talk to former olympian and world champion. how much do you miss swimming? during this locked—in period i have massively missed swimming. it is something i have loved doing. when i got injured in afghanistan my physical rehabilitation as well as psychologically, swimming was my go to. if i had a bad day i could go into the swimming pool. not having that was very difficult. how did it affect you during lockdown? like eve ryo ne affect you during lockdown? like everyone it has affected people in different ways. i lost my father last year and was trying to help my mum through. also coping with the lockdown. for me it has been building up. not having this release from it, i have struggled. a lot of people think this should have happened earlier. the chlorine in the pool has been increased. there isa the pool has been increased. there is a lot of chlorine in the air. swimming is are the safest places you can be. pubs have opened up and swimming pools did not, ifound you can be. pu

it has been a really busy day since the door opened here at the london aquatics centre.owed each hour. at least it has everybody back in the water again. let's talk to some of the swimmers who had their first experience for months. do you know, how did if you're getting on the swing paul?m has been quite a change. we haven't song for a long time but overall a good experience. what about all the different measures, the fact you don't get change in the changing rooms, you come swim ready, and then you have the lanes, the one—way system around the swimming pool. very different but we have been able to swim easily as well. everyone has space between as well. another swim at this moment. how much did you miss swimming? as someone who has done swimming for the past eight years of their life and then all of a sudden being cut off from it, it is weird. coming back, it is hard after not doing it for such a long period of time. quite physically demanding for you. how did the measures work for you? personally i find it quite convenient because there is no time wasting. you get full

i had a lovely trip to london last week to chat with him and learn about how he has been adapting to not being able to get into the pool. aquatics centre single day. i think the pandemic‘s given us all that perspective, really. what‘s life been in lockdown for you? in a london flat with a toddler, it must have been pretty hectic? yeah, it was, it was hectic, but also, you know, everything has a silver lining, right? so i got to spend so much extra time on my son, with my mum — because she was in lockdown with us as well — and my husband. so being able to spend the extra time together, seeing robbie learn all of his colours, be able to count to 10, the alphabet, you know, just to see him develop — you know, because in a normal year i would have been travelling here, there and everywhere for competitions, training camps, so getting that extra time with him has been something i‘m so grateful for and it‘s been so special. this kind of period of time out of the pool, i think, for me, is only really a benefit. i‘ve been able to rest my body, i‘ve been able to rest my mind, i‘ve been able to not hit the water at 35 miles per hour and batter m