Summers-Newton ready for Paralympics pressure

Maisie Summers-Newton will be defending her Paralympic titles in Paris

Champion swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton says she’s ready to "deal with the pressure" of defending her Paralympic titles in Paris.

The 22-year-old, from Wollaston, Northamptonshire, won double Paralympic gold three years ago in Tokyo.

She broke her own world record in the pool recently in a competition in Berlin, but admitted that staying ahead of the field had brought its own stresses.

"When you’re chasing to get that gold medal its easier than staying at the top," she said.

"There’s a lot of pressure, which I put on myself.

"I’ve tried to remove it, but don’t think I can.

"But it’s because I have that passion to do well. I’m getting stronger, and I’ve got that fire in my belly."

Maisie Summers-Newton will defend her titles in Paris later this month

A trainee teacher, Summers-Newton said the last three years had been "exhausting", juggling international competitions with her studies.

"There are definitely days when you get in the pool and you don’t feel like swimming at all," she told the BBC.

"When I was doing my placements at university, I was getting up at 6am, getting in for 8am, then coming here to swim in the evenings and train.

"They were really long days.

"But I do it because I have a passion for swimming. I do it because I was that little girl that watched London 2012 and was inspired by the Paralympic movement and enjoys coming swimming every single day."

She is one of four swimmers from Northampton taking part in the Paralympics

Summers-Newton was appointed MBE by the Princess Royal for services to swimming in 2022.

The European, World and Commonwealth champion is part of a 26-strong squad for the Paris Paralympics, with the opening ceremony on 28 August.

She is one of four swimmers competing from Northampton and says she wants to make her family proud.

They watched from home three years ago, but this time will be watching poolside in Paris.

"I am most looking forward to walking out before my race and looking up into the crowd and see them there," she said.

"I always look for them giving me a thumbs up and its gives great reassurance – that the people you love are there for you."