A Paralympic gold medallist from Dorset has confirmed in an exclusive interview that he has set his sights on the next games which will be hosted in Los Angeles in 2028.
SB5 100m breaststroke swimmer, Leo McCrea who is only 21, has recommitted after winning his first Paralympic medal for Switzerland at the La Défense Arena in Paris this summer.
Leo said: “LA is definitely on the cards; I am only 21 so hopefully it will be my next big thing. I want to defend my title out there.”
With the British Swimming Championships coming up in April and the Singapore World Para Swimming Championship taking place in September, Leo is hoping to break a world record in his swimming category- all in preparation for the next Paralympics.
Leo said: “I’m feeling alright about it, once I get back up to fitness and start my normal training regime can start preparing.”
Poole Swimming Club is where Leo’s swimming career started. After being spotted by Team GB Paralympic legend Ellie Simmonds’ mother when he was only six years old, he was inspired to jump into the pool and start his journey.
Training takes place at several locations in Dorset including, Bournemouth Collegiate School, David Lloyd’s and Bournemouth University.
Leo was awarded a scholarship at BU, through the Sport BU’s High-Performance Sport Programme. Alongside studying Sports Management This includes a gym membership, chiropractic treatment, sports massage and strength and conditioning training. The young athlete is trained at the university by coaches Dan Boer and Ben Kaiser.
After winning gold in France, Ben said “I’m proud of how he’s done. It’s a testament to all the hard work he’s put in this year.”
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