Paris 2024: Swimmer Kathleen Dawson targets Olympics after injury struggle
- Published
Kathleen Dawson won Olympic gold as part of Britain's mixed medley relay team in 2021
Edinburgh International Swim Meet | |
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When: 8-10 March 2024 Where: Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh | |
Coverage: Watch the evening finals (from 17:15 GMT March 8-9 and 16:40 March 10) on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app |
Olympic gold medallist Kathleen Dawson says she is determined to shake off an injury-hit three years and make the Paris Games this summer.
Dawson, 26, was part of the mixed 4x100m medley relay team that stormed to gold in Tokyo three years ago.
Since then the Scot has had to recover from sciatica caused by a bulging disc in her back, resulting in months of missed competition.
"It's always been about making the Olympics," Dawson told BBC Scotland.
"Especially since coming off the back of the last Olympics being injured. I knew that my goal was to be better for the trials to make the Olympics.
"It's been like a kind of rolling season that it's not really stopped. It's just: 'We're making the Olympics'."
Dawson, the British record holder in the 50m and 100m backstroke, is competing in the Edinburgh International Swim Meet this weekend as she and other athletes build towards the British trials next month.
The Kirkcaldy swimmer says qualifying for Paris will be a challenge given the depth of quality on the British team.
"In the time I've had away from being at my best, the 100m backstroke has come on since I've taken a step back," she added. "So it's good to see the depth in British swimming is getting so much better.
"For me, that means that it's not going to be a walk in the park making the team."
Having also recovered from a serious knee problem in 2018, Dawson is used to returning from setbacks, and had to manage her back injury through the Tokyo Games.
"It's something that I'm always managing," she said. "I'd say, I'm like 95%. It's always going to be something now that I've got to manage around in the gym.
"Always doing exercises to strengthen my back and my core, which is what we decided was needed rehabilitating.
"There's always a risk that maybe it could take a step backwards if I didn't look after myself. But I consider myself to be a 100% rehabilitated athlete."