Speedo, the world’s leading swimwear brand, today signed British Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE to join its growing roster of talent on Team Speedo.
Ellie recently took home a bronze medal in the S6 400m freestyle podium at the World Para Swimming Championships in London this September – 13 years on from her World Championship debut. Her performance puts her in a promising position as she prepares for the 2020 Games in Tokyo, which is now in the swimmer’s sights.
Speaking about joining Team Speedo, Ellie said: “I can’t believe I’m going to be a Speedo ambassador, it’s a brand I’ve worn since childhood.
“Racing in Speedo Faskskin makes me feel unstoppable. When you stand behind your block in your kit, you’re ready to go out there feeling confident. I always feel like I just glide through the water.”
Following her success at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where she won one gold and one bronze medal, Ellie took a hiatus from the sport in which she had become a household name after falling out of love with swimming.
“I was in a really low place leading towards Rio 2016,” Ellie adds. “It was supposed to be one of the best moments of my life, but I hated swimming and everything about it.
“What really helped me was just taking a back seat from the sport and realising how amazing swimming is, the opportunities it has given me and the people I get to meet. It made me realise what it means to me. Doing that helped me fall back in love with my sport and I’m really thankful for that.
“Now I’m looking forward to being part of Team Speedo especially in my journey towards Tokyo. Sometimes swimming is a sport when you’re on your own, but knowing that Speedo and the team of athletes are there supporting you on your way, it really helps.”
Rob Hicking, Brand Director, Speedo, added: “Ellie is as phenomenal a swimmer as she is an inspirational person, and we are beyond excited to have her join Team Speedo. She understands how to use the product to her advantage both in terms of technical benefits and how it makes her feel, to make sure she is the best she can be when she is out on the blocks.
“Ellie joining the Speedo family expands our fantastic team of promising British talent, and she knows what it means to be part of a team. For that, we are excited to see what we can achieve together.”
Ellie joins an exciting line-up of British swimmers on Team Speedo including Siobhan Marie-O’Connor, Duncan Scott, Ollie Hynd and Freya Anderson.