Leo McCrea: Life After Paris Glory
After years of preparation building up to Leo’s gold medal victory at the Paris Paralympics this summer, swimmer Leo McCrea reflects on his remarkable journey and looks ahead to an exciting future in the sport.
From Poole Leisure Centre to the top of the Paralympics podium.
That is the giant step that Bournemouth University (BU) student Leo McCrea made last summer when he claimed gold in Paris.
Now he is back to balancing lectures in sports management with training sessions in the water and lifting weights in the gym as he comes to terms with his success.
Leo won his first Paralympic medal for Switzerland at La Defense Arena in Paris this Summer.
The SB5 100m breaststroke swimmer grabbed gold in a quick time of 1:27.15.
SB5 is a para-swimming classification for swimmers with disabilities that affect their lower trunk and legs. This includes swimmers with amputations, short stature and cerebral palsy.
The Dorset athlete was born in Poole but his mother, Corinne, is originally from Switzerland making him eligible to compete for the country.
Leo reflected on his life after Paris saying: “It’s been pretty crazy; I’ve been invited to a lot of events in Switzerland. Having a gold medal and being first in the world is the biggest change.
“It didn’t feel real, to be honest when I won, I can’t remember much from that night- it’s still sinking in now. I am trying to gather my thoughts and get back into my training routine.
“I’m trying to be humble about it,” Leo said with a smile on his face.
He was the first swimmer ever to win a gold medal for Switzerland. The country has responded to his win, he’s been to a series of special functions including the Sporthilfe Gala in Zurich. He said: “The country has been great celebrating my win, they are really happy with my achievement.”
Due to being part of Sport BU’s High-Performance Sport Programme, Leo was granted time off from his studies to focus on his swimming and training. This meant that Leo could train eight times in the pool and six times in the gym a week before building up to the Paralympics.
Tokyo 2020 was the first Paralympics that Leo competed at, he participated in the 100m freestyle S6, 100m breaststroke SB5, 200m individual medley SM6 and 400m freestyle S6 events. Leo placed 5th overall in the final of the 100m breaststroke SB5 event, narrowly missing out on as medal.
Leo’s family saw him swim for the first time at the Paralympics in Paris, this was due to the Covid-19 pandemic interrupting his family’s travel plans to come to Japan to see him swim.
In a post-race Paris interview, Leo said: “I was close to quitting and if it hadn’t been for my family I wouldn’t be swimming right now. I probably owe it all to them, so my medal is for them because they really helped support me.”
Leo’s mother after his win said: “I feel super proud. We used to go to Switzerland every year to visit family. He has got a great connection to the country.
“We were a part of an amazing association called the Dwarf Sports Association. We started to go there at an early age where he was introduced to a lot of sports. Leo loves competing and always has.”
Starting swimming at the age of eight whilst being inspired by his older sister Jasmine. Leo was scouted by Ellie Simmonds’ mother, who encouraged him to pursue competitive swimming. The rest is history.
The Dorset athlete, who is only 21, has confirmed in an exclusive interview with Buzz News that he has set his sights on the next games which will be hosted in Los Angeles in 2028.
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.”
“I’m currently building my strength back up again.”
The next big competition for Leo is the British Swimming Championships coming up in April then the Singapore World Para Swimming Championship is taking place in September. Leo is hoping to break a world record in his swimming category- all in preparation for the next Paralympics.
The world record currently stands at one minute and 25 seconds- Leo is only two seconds off.
“Hopefully in LA, I will beat the record.”
Leo’s current training takes place at several locations including, Bournemouth Collegiate School, David Lloyd’s and Bournemouth University.
Alongside studying Sports Management, the university provides Leo with a gym membership, chiropractic treatment, sports massage and strength and conditioning training. He is trained at the university by coaches Dan Boer and Ben Kaiser. In Leo’s words, he receives “Top notch coaching.”
After Leo’s hard work paid off in Paris, Ben said: “I’m really proud of him. It’s a testament to all the hard work he’s put in.”
Leo by Ennio Leanza
Leo by Ennio Leanza
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