How duo Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe are pioneering the way for Team GB

Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe are right on the money

The Olympic artistic swimming scene has long been dominated by teams from the People’s Republic of China, Russia, the USA and Japan.

As a result, artistic swimmers in Great Britain have often lacked funding and the extra support needed for an Olympic Games campaign.

Nevertheless, Shortman and Thorpe’s spark for the sport has never gone out.

“I’ve always seen the potential,” said Izzy’s mum Karen, who is also a former artistic swimmer and now the manager of the sport at UK Aquatics.

“They have also supported themselves with jobs: coaching, going around to some of the clubs – a £100 here and there – often when they should be resting, on top of going to university and training full-time as well. It has been really tough for them but they have never lost the passion.”

In preparation for Paris, the pair have been working with Japanese coach Yumiko Tomomatsu, who they say has “taught [them] so many things in life”.

Given Great Britain’s history in the discipline, there is no doubt that a podium finish for Shortman and Thorpe is a long shot – but what gives them hope is their determination and drive to write themselves into Olympic history.

Shortman said: “Gold was once more of a dream than a goal, but we have now got our sights firmly set on it – absolutely.”