Artistic swimmers look to observe of their moms’ Olympic footsteps

Artistic swimmers Izzy Thorpe and Kate Shortman will pursue the same Olympic dream as their mums as they go for gold in Paris.

Their mothers Karen Thorpe and Maria Shortman were a duet for Team GB in the 1990s when it was called synchronised swimming.

‘We would never have become the athletes we are without them,’ said Izzy, 23, who like Kate, 22, can hold her breath underwater for more than three minutes.

The lifelong friends from swimming-mad families in Bristol train eight hours a day, six days a week in a programme including ballet, weights, gymnastics and yoga.

‘It’s a glamorous event, you have to keep smiling, so those outside the sport sometimes think that means it’s easy,’ said Kate.

SYNCHRONISED: Karen Thorpe, left, beside her daughter Izzy and Maria Shortman by her daughter Kate 

Karen Thorpe, far right, Maria Shortman, fourth from left, pictured in 1988

‘We would never have become the athletes we are without them,’ said Izzy, 23. Pictured: Izzy hugs her mother Karen 

Maria (pictured with her daughter Kate), coached both girls at their club, City of Bristol Aquatics

‘We’re supposed to make it look easy. But it hurts inside when people don’t get how tough it is.’ 

Three decades ago, mums Karen and Maria suffered as the 1996 Atlanta Games dropped the duet and solo categories in favour of an eight-woman team competition.

Karen and Maria were in the GB team that failed to qualify. By the time the duet event was restored in 2000, their chance had gone.

Both women become coaches and now their daughters are determined to follow their lead.

Karen, head of performance for TeamGB’s artistic swim squad, said she did not push Izzy into swimming. ‘I thought she’d make a good gymnast,’ she said.

‘Then, aged 12, she walked out of a gym session to inform me that she and Kate were doing swimming instead.’

Maria, who coached both girls at their club, City of Bristol Aquatics, said: ‘There was always a buzz around them. They would go through solo routines in the pool and everyone would jump out and crowd around to watch.’

Izzy said: ‘We want to come away knowing we’ve done our best for our country, our coaches – and of course for our mums.’