Torquay’s Tom qualifies for the Paris Olympics

Swimmer Tom Fannon, who started the sport with the Torquay Leander Club, has achieved the qualifying time for the 50m Freestyle at the Olympic Games later this month.

Tom will represent Ireland in Paris and his family, who run the Howden Court Hotel in Torquay, are naturally booming with pride at this amazing achievement from the former pupil at Warberry Primary and Tower House in Paignton.

The 26 year-old is now based at the Irish swimming campus just outside Dublin but still credits his old Torquay Leander coach Neil West for much of his success.

Dad Peter explained: “Tom has an Irish passport and qualified for their team through my Dad, who is Irish. He used to swim for Torquay Leander Swimming Club and still stays in touch with his coach at the Plainmoor pool.

“He started at Torquay Leander and we knew from an early age that he had a special talent. When he was 10 or 11, Tom was beating people aged 15 and 16, and it was all down to his technique.

“There is no doubt his career started with the Torquay Leander club and Neil West was the coach to set him on his way.

“He was then requested to start training in Plymouth and that’s where he was spotted. He swam for Team GB but Covid came along and set all swimming aside for 18 months.

“The coach he was working with in Plymouth had moved to Ireland and he wanted Tom to go over there to train. He made the move to continue his career with the Irish team and his career has gone from strength to strength.

“The Olympics had always been his dream and he said that to Neil when he was seven years-old. He reached the Commonwealth Games in 2018 but Covid came along and he switched to Ireland, but had to wait for the transition period to represent Ireland after swimming for Team GB.

“My wife and daughter already have tickets for Paris, and I hope to come along, but we obviously work in tourism and fully booked for the summer, so it might be tricky.”