Lucy Hope knows Paris Olympics could be her last as Scot makes 'fastest ever' swim target

Lucy Hope knows time waits for nobody in the swimming pool - that’s why she’s desperate to post a personal best when she takes the plunge in Paris. At 27 the Scot accepts this could be her last Olympics.

But there’s no way she’s heading across the channel expecting to be left behind by the young guns.

Hope is part of a seven-strong University of Stirling swimming contingent in Team GB heading to prep camp in the next few days ahead of the start of the Games in just over two weeks’ time.

Her targets are simple. She wants to swim the fastest she has ever swam. And if that’s good enough to land a first ever Olympic medal then all the better.

The relay specialist - a seven time European gold medallist - is a key member of the 4x200m freestyle team that includes individual world champion Freya Colbert.

And she told Record Sport: “I think Paris potentially could be my last Olympics. I’m getting a bit old now at 27 - it’s because everyone else is so young!

“The way we train, we’ve been at such a high level for so long, so I will re-evaluate after Paris and see where I am.

“Don’t get me wrong, I definitely won’t be saying I’ll be retiring after Paris. There’s more in me.

“But four years is quite a while to wait for the next Olympics.

“So heading to Paris, I just want to swim the fastest I have ever swam.

“Swim best times and hopefully if, as a team, we can put four good performances together then maybe we could challenge for a medal.

“Last year we had a target of breaking the British record in the 4x200m. The girls who hold that are very good swimmers. It’ll be a challenge but a good one.”

Hope made her Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago but admits the so-called ‘Covid Games’ didn’t quite hit the mark with no spectators