Jordan returns from world series with more swimming medals
Beccles swimmer Jordan Catchpole. Picture: Antony Kelly. - Credit: copyright ARCHANT 2017
A Beccles teenager has returned home with two more medals to add to his collection after competing in the Para Swimming World Series in Denmark.
Jordan Catchpole, 18, travelled to Copenhagen with the British Para Swimming GB Team for the first round of the competition, the same event where he won the junior title last year.
Jordan was diagnosed with autism and learning difficulties at the age of 14, and competes in the S14 classification, which is for swimmers with an intellectual impairment.
The competition was swam as multi classification, which meant Jordan was swimming against all classifications, and the medals are given to the first three swimmers with the highest points, not necessarily those who finish the races in the top three positions.
Jordan arrived on Monday, February 26, for four days of training ahead of a weekend of races.
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He competed in the 100m breastroke, 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
He made the finals for butterfly on the Saturday and came third taking away a bronze medal. On the Sunday he had a busy day making all three finals for freestyle, backstroke and individual medley, coming fourth in freestyle and sixth in individual medley.
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The 100m backstroke was a very close race with him and a Dutch competitor who just beat him to the touch, with Jordan taking away the silver medal.
He said: “I am really pleased with how the competition went, especially to come away with two medals, a bronze and silver, and to be close or on my personal bests this early in the season is good.
“I came home and went straight back into training, as my next focus will be to qualify for the Europeans in August in Dublin. I am racing in Sheffield in May which is another round of the World Series, but is also the qualifier for the Europeans.”
Jordan is part of the British Swimming World Class Podium Potential Programme, and trains eight times a week with the City of Norwich Swimming Club.
As well as a haul of medals, Jordan was recognised last year at the Stars of Suffolk awards for Outstanding Sporting Achievement and was named Archant Suffolk Young Sports Personality of the Year at the Suffolk Sports Awards, among other community awards.