Epileptic breaststroker Imogen Clark goes for gold at the Commonwealth Games

EXCLUSIVE: Epileptic swimmer Imogen Clark was ‘dragged from the bottom of a pool’ after suffering her first seizure nine years ago… now the English swimmer goes for gold at the Commonwealth Games

  • Imogen Clark suffered her first serious seizure at the bottom of a pool in 2013
  • She was diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy and told to give up the sport 
  • Ignoring medical advice, she pursued her passion and now swims for England
  • She will go for Commonwealth Games gold in the 50m breaststroke on Saturday

When Imogen Clark was rescued from the bottom of a pool nine years ago, she could never have imagined she would one day be back swimming in the Midlands at a major event.

The Chesterfield-born breaststroker was 14 when she suffered a serious seizure in Derby and was later diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy.

Clark’s doctor and mother told her to quit the sport, but she ignored medical and parental advice to pursue her passion. And oh, how she is glad she did, as it has brought her to Birmingham where she will go for Commonwealth Games gold in the 50metres breaststroke on Saturday night.

Breaststroker Imogen Clark suffered her first seizure at the bottom of a pool nine years ago

Breaststroker Imogen Clark suffered her first seizure at the bottom of a pool nine years ago

‘It has been a real struggle but wearing the lion now, being in my home country with all my family there to support me, it makes all of it completely worthwhile,’ the 23-year-old tells Sportsmail.

Clark now takes two tablets a day to stop her seizures, which happened regularly in her younger years, including twice while swimming.

‘I had my first seizure in a pool when I was 13,’ she recalls. ‘Apparently I was just holding on to the side of the pool, chatting away, and then I started swimming and then just stopped in the middle of the pool. My coach had to get me out.

‘At the time, the doctors said it was a growth spurt and I went a full year without having another one, but then I had this period where I had lots of them.

The 23-year-old swimmer will compete for gold at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday

The 23-year-old swimmer will compete for gold at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday

‘The worst one was the second time in the pool. We were doing some underwater work, so I don’t think anyone noticed that I was actually at the bottom for a little bit of time.

‘One of my team-mates dragged me up from the bottom and the lifeguard helped me get out. They were ready to resuscitate me.

‘I just remember coming round in the hospital. You have no idea what has gone on, apart from you feel absolutely horrific. It is so draining.

‘Thankfully now I get to live my life without having them. But to know that I’ve had to be rescued, dragged from the bottom of the pool, it’s really scary.

‘I’m actually quite thankful I can’t remember them because it probably would put me off swimming. But now I like to talk about it and make it a normalised thing. I want other people in my position to go out and think they can achieve things too.’

She admitted: 'I¿ve had to be rescued, dragged from the bottom of the pool, it¿s really scary'

She admitted: ‘I’ve had to be rescued, dragged from the bottom of the pool, it’s really scary’

Clark’s biggest achievement to date in swimming was a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke at the 2018 European Championships, where she also set a British record of 30.04seconds.

She came close to bettering that when she won the British trials this April in 30.10secs, which makes her the second fastest swimmer in the Commonwealth this year, after South African Lara van Niekerk.

‘That swim was massive for me as it’s the fastest I’ve been in a long time,’ adds Clark. ‘If I’d been at the World Championships this year, I would have been fighting for a medal.

‘But the fact I now get to do that at a home Games is brilliant. I’ll have the home crowd behind me and I want to race for that podium spot. It would mean absolutely everything to win a medal.’

source: dailymail.co.uk