Double Paralympic champion Maisie Summers-Newton knows that she is the fastest she’s ever been heading into Paris 2024. The 22-year-old roared to double gold at her maiden Games in Tokyo but now dives into Paris with a target on her back in the SM6 200m individual medley and SB6 100m breaststroke.

But Summers-Newton revealed that she’s not concerned about the pressure she faces as the golden girl in the pool, taking confidence from setting a new 200m individual medley world record earlier this year. "I definitely feel a different sense of pressure this time compared to Tokyo," she said. "I was already world and European champion then but there was still that Paralympic gold I hadn’t got yet. Now I’m a bit more nervous to defend those titles."

"But at the same time, I’m reminding myself that I’ve already achieved those things so I just need to enjoy it and relax. I’m swimming the fastest I’ve ever swum which puts me in a great place. I got a PB (personal best) in the 200IM and my 100m breaststroke I’ve been right on that too so it shows that the training has been going really well. Hopefully I’ll feel rested and ready to go when it comes to it."

Summers-Newton broke her own world record in Berlin earlier this year. She took over a second and a half off her Tokyo 2020 record to take victory at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Berlin, setting a new world best of 2:55.07 to set herself up perfectly for a second Games. However, managing expectations are still a top priority according to the Northampton-based swimmer.

"I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to go out there and win gold but then at the same time you’ve got to be kind to yourself and just enjoy the moment," she added. "As long as I’m trying my best that’s all I can do really and then the outcome I want comes out. My goal is to come away with medals and hopefully gold."

Balancing Teaching and Swimming

Away from the pool, Summers-Newton recently graduated with a degree in teaching from the University of Northampton. She is now one of three teachers on the ParalympicGB swimming squad, alongside Becky Redfern and Brock Whiston. But the swimmer admitted that she didn’t quite think through the intensity that teacher training and swimming would bring together but wouldn’t change her decision for the world, now getting to inspire young children all over the world and expose them to para sport. "I think I was a bit naïve as I applied during Covid and didn’t think it would be that hard to do with swimming," she said. "It’s been really tough but at the same time, to have that outlet where I can go somewhere and not think about swimming and have friends who don’t know about the sport is nice."

"When I’m on placement and going into classrooms, it’s lovely to inspire the children and make them aware of para sport and disability."

Defending Titles in Paris

Champion swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton says she’s ready to "deal with the pressure" of defending her Paralympic titles in Paris. The 22-year-old, from Wollaston, Northamptonshire, won double Paralympic gold three years ago in Tokyo. She broke her own world record in the pool recently in a competition in Berlin, but admitted that staying ahead of the field had brought its own stresses. "When you’re chasing to get that gold medal its easier than staying at the top," she said. "There’s a lot of pressure, which I put on myself. I’ve tried to remove it, but don’t think I can. But it’s because I have that passion to do well. I’m getting stronger, and I’ve got that fire in my belly."

A Balancing Act

A trainee teacher, Summers-Newton said the last three years had been "exhausting", juggling international competitions with her studies. "There are definitely days when you get in the pool and you don’t feel like swimming at all," she told the BBC. "When I was doing my placements at university, I was getting up at 6am, getting in for 8am, then coming here to swim in the evenings and train. They were really long days. But I do it because I have a passion for swimming. I do it because I was that little girl that watched London 2012 and was inspired by the Paralympic movement and enjoys coming swimming every single day."

She is one of four swimmers from Northampton taking part in the Paralympics. Summers-Newton was appointed MBE by the Princess Royal for services to swimming in 2022. The European, World and Commonwealth champion is part of a 26-strong squad for the Paris Paralympics, with the opening ceremony on 28 August. She is one of four swimmers competing from Northampton and says she wants to make her family proud. They watched from home three years ago, but this time will be watching poolside in Paris. "I am most looking forward to walking out before my race and looking up into the crowd and see them there," she said. "I always look for them giving me a thumbs up and its gives great reassurance – that the people you love are there for you."