Paralympian wants to break sea swimming barriers

A two-time paralympic champion who became the first blind woman to swim across the English Channel has shared how "addictive" sea swimming can be as a new event aims to encourage more partially sighted people to take to the open water.

Melanie Barratt, who won gold medals at the Atlanta and Sydney Paralympic Games in 1996 and 2000, has been talking about her love of the open water at an event with Blind British Sport at Sea Lanes in Brighton on Saturday.

The event is also looking at the barriers stopping blind people making the jump from pool swimming to the sea.

Barratt, who is also a six-time world champion and world triathlon champion, said: "Sea swimming is an amazing experience."

She said: "When you are swimming in a swimming pool, there are colours and shapes that I can see, and I can use things like a stroke count. In open water there is none of that.

"You have to work around this, but it's so addictive to be in the open water."

In order to be able to swim in the sea, Barratt says she has started using radio headsets so she can be guided in real time by someone close by.

Other aids which can be used include brightly coloured kayaks or other items which can be more easily spotted in the water and used as a guide, Barratt added.

At the event in Sea Lanes, guides have also been on hand to help swimmers navigate the beach and enter the water, as well as helping them know what sea conditions are like.

Sadie Rockliffe, a PhD researcher at the University of Brighton who is leading the Accessible Waters project, said: "We want to make the water a safe space for everyone.

"It's about ensuring there are guides that have knowledge and lived experience, and are able to communicate things like what the tides and weather are doing.

"Then you can make sure you can make an informed decision about the sea and your own ability."

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