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24 Jul 2009 14:16:50
Two greats from the swimming world worked in tandem this week to promote the sport to a television audience of millions.
The University of Bedfordshire’s swimming stalwart Helen Elkington met former world swim star Mark Foster in Bedford on Wednesday night.
The 70 year old from Bedford was interviewed by BBC guest presenter Foster, the former Olympian and star of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, who also got in the water himself to promote Helen’s synchronised swimming class.
The clip from Bedford was aired on the BBC’s regional news show, Look East, last night (Thursday).
It showed the female synchronised swimming class featuring eight to 90 year olds from Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties.
The classes, and many others, used to be run at the University of Bedfordshire until the pool at its former Lansdowne Road site shut in 2007. Since then, the pool at the Bedford High School for Girls in Bromham Road has been home to all the University’s swimming activities.
The visit was part of Look East’s week-long series of swimming features to mark the opening of the brand new 50m pool in Corby.
Helen said: “Mark was a very pleasant man – and really tall! It was fun and everyone enjoyed the evening with Mark even joining in the synchronised swimming routine at the end.
“In term time, we have lots of students in the class and it was just a shame they couldn’t be there on the night.”
Helen is a former Olympic swimming coach who went to the Games in Mexico in 1968 and she is an internationally renowned expert in the field of swimming.
Despite officially retiring from her position as principal lecturer in 2004, she has continued to monitor all the swimming sessions undertaken by the University.
Helen said: “I’m still responsible for all swimming involving students at the University. I still enjoy coaching and the students keep me young as they have such a sense of fun.”
She has been teaching swimming for more than 50 years and is a leading authority in the field, having lectured at conferences all over the world.
Her impressive list of publications include ‘Swimming: a Handbook for Teachers’, which was printed three decades ago and is still used as a reference book by swimming teachers today.
Helen was stroke coach to the Great Britain Olympic swimming team at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and junior British synchronised swimming team coach from 1971 to 1977.
She has also worked as a commentator for both the BBC and ITV and, in 1988, she led the synchronised swimming commentary at the Seoul Olympics.
Her achievements as a swimming coach were recognised by the National Coaching Foundation in 1998 when she was inaugurated into the coaching hall of fame - the highest honour for coaches in any sport. She joined the likes of World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey, Torvill and Dean’s mentor Betty Callaway and athletics supremo Ron Pickering.
Helen was also honoured at one of the last ceremonies of the former De Montfort University when she received an honorary degree. She was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts in 2006 for her achievements in the world of swimming.
Another member of staff at the Bedford campus, senior lecturer Dawn Daley-James, was also featured on the Look East show.
She was interviewed about her daughter, Lucy, at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Tampere, Finland.
Latest news» 2009» July» Helen's in the swim with Look East's Mark Foster
