Olympics Artistic Swimming: Silver for Shortman & Thorpe
- Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe, artistic swimming partners from Bristol, have made history by winning a medal, marking Britain's best-ever result in the event.
- Thorpe's mother, Karen, competed alongside Shortman's mother, Maria, in the 1980s.Maria narrowly missed qualifying for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
- Shortman had previously told the BBC that she and Thorpe hoped to "carry on the legacy" of their mothers in Paris.
Kate shortman and Izzy Thorpe’s historic silver medal win in artistic swimming marks Britain’s best-ever finish in the event, a testament to their years of dedication and skill. Their journey, rooted in a legacy of familial involvement in the sport that dates back to the 1980s, culminated in a performance that surpassed previous British achievements. The duo, swimming partners since childhood, capitalized on a revamped scoring system that emphasized their technical prowess, propelling them to this remarkable victory. This success builds on their earlier triumphs at the World Championships, showcasing their consistent excellence. The pair’s “Rising Phoenix” routine paid tribute to the changes in the sport. Read more at News Directory 3, and discover their next steps in their artistic swimming career.
Shortman and Thorpe win Historic Artistic Swimming Medal
Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe, artistic swimming partners from Bristol, have made history by winning a medal, marking Britain’s best-ever result in the event. Shortman and Thorpe have been swimming together since they were 9 years old.
The pair’s families share a legacy in the sport. Thorpe’s mother, Karen, competed alongside Shortman’s mother, Maria, in the 1980s.Maria narrowly missed qualifying for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Shortman had previously told the BBC that she and Thorpe hoped to “carry on the legacy” of their mothers in Paris. Their medal represents a significant achievement, surpassing the previous best British finish of fourth place at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by caroline Holmyard and Carolyn Wilson.
Their success follows a silver and bronze medal win at the World Championships earlier this year. A change to the sport’s scoring system, implemented last year, has favored their technical abilities. The new system uses two judging panels to assess routines, with pairs declaring the difficulty of their routines beforehand.
Shortman considered quitting before the scoring system change.The duo’s “Rising Phoenix” routine pays tribute to the new system.
thorpe described the win as “very overwhelming.”
“Probably just stare at the medal, cry, touch the medal,” Shortman said with a laugh, when asked about how they would celebrate.
What’s next
Shortman and Thorpe plan to continue building on their success, aiming for further achievements in artistic swimming and inspiring future generations.