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Making
a splash
It’s all going swimmingly for Sports
Studies graduate, Lauren Smith,
as we talk to her about being the
former Captain of the Great Britain
Synchronised Swimming team, how
it feels to win a Commonwealth
Bronze Medal, and what life is like
today working for the London 2012
Olympics.
WLV: Well Lauren, you’ve achieved
so much it’s hard to know where
to begin! How does it feel to be
part of the greatest sporting event
this country has seen in over 60
years?
LS: It’s amazing and I’m so excited!
I’ve always wanted to do events
management in sports and so
working on the Synchronised
Swimming event for London 2012
is like a dream come true. I was the
first person to swim in the London
2012 Aquatics
Centre last
year, which
was a huge
privilege,
and when
I got my
Olympic uniform it gave me goose
bumps.
WLV: You’re the Administration
Group Leader for Synchronised
Swimming. What does your role
involve?
LS: I’m part of the team responsible
for organising the Olympic Games
Synchronised Swimming event. I
manage the logistical aspects, which
can range from organising transport
and accommodation for the athletes
to training volunteers for the different
venues. It’s a very diverse role and it
is hard work – I often work 16 hours
a day – but I love every minute of it.
WLV: You first started
synchronised swimming aged 11.
What made you take up the sport?
LS: I did gymnastics for eight years,
but at 10 years old I still couldn’t
swim properly. At a swimming
lesson with my sister, the instructor
suggested I try synchronised
swimming because of my
flexibility from my gymnastics.
After one class I
absolutely loved it and three weeks
later I took part in a competition and
won. I knew it was the sport for me.
WLV: Why did you decide to
study BSc Sports Studies at the
University of Wolverhampton?
LS: I loved studying sport at school,
both the practical and the theoretical
side, and so a degree in the subject
was an obvious choice. I chose
Wolverhampton because, unlike
other universities, the course offered
the right combination of modules
that suited my interests.
WLV: You were competing while
you were a student. How did you
combine your training with your
studies?
LS: To be the best it was crucial
that I kept up my training and so
whenever I had a spare minute I
was either in the pool or in the gym.
My lecturers were very supportive,
especially when I was competing
abroad and needed the time for
assignments. They were genuinely
interested in what I was doing, which
was a real confidence boost.
WLV: You joined the GB
Synchronised Swimming team
full-time in 2007 and throughout
your career you’ve been British
Champion and competed at
the World Championships and
Commonwealth Games. What was
your favourite competitive event?
LS: It has to be the Commonwealth
Games in 2010 in Delhi as that was
where I won the bronze medal for my
solo routine. My dream was always
to go to the Commonwealths but I
didn’t necessarily think I would come
away with a medal. As the Games
drew nearer I decided I wanted the
bronze. There was a lot of pressure
for me to get it – and I did!
WLV: How did it feel on the
podium receiving your medal?
LS: Very emotional. As I stood there
I could see everyone who had come
to support me and when I was
interviewed I broke down in tears. I
realised that all my hard work had
paid off and I just wanted to thank
my parents because without them
I couldn’t have done it. It was the
pinnacle of my career.
WLV: Was it always your dream
to Captain the GB Synchronised
Swimming team?
LS: It was never my goal but I knew
in my last year that I had the skill
and experience to lead the team and
so when I was offered the position
I gratefully accepted it. I retired in
2011 and when I look back I have a
lot of fond memories; including the
time I greeted Tony and Cherie Blair
as they arrived into the village at the
Melbourne Commonwealth Games in
2006, being interviewed live on BBC
news, and meeting Alex Ferguson.
Earlier this year I was also invited to
a ‘Women in Sport’ reception at the
Houses of Parliament in recognition
of my athletic career and my work at
London 2012. It was a real honour.
WLV: What are your aspirations
for the future?
LS: I definitely want to continue in
sports and events management
and my job at London 2012 has
set me up for a successful career
in that area. I also write articles for
Swimming Times magazine, which
is another avenue I’d like to explore
more. As for my synchronised
swimming, my sister and I are part of
a company called Aquabatix which
puts on synchronised swimming
performances for different events
and in 2000 saw us star in a scene
in the film Love’s Labour’s Lost.
It’s been a great year for me since
retiring, but I’m sure I won’t be
packing my costume
away just yet.
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