Ellie Simmonds has eyes on Tokyo 2020 after finding her love for swimming again

The five-time Paralympic champion from Aldridge took a break from swimming after Rio 2016 because she ‘hated’ it.

But after a year of travelling around the world, the 23-year-old is now back in the pool with her goggles set firmly on Tokyo 2020.

“I just hated swimming, I hated everything about it,” she told the BBC. “I just thought I don’t want to do this, I’ve got no objectives, there’s nothing I want to do in the pool.

“I’ve achieved my dream, it was to get a Paralympic gold medal and I’ve been to three games.

“I just needed that time away to figure out what I wanted in life. I had an amazing year, I went travelling on my own to so many different places, Thailand, Australia for a month, I went to South Africa for a month, worked for a charity.

“I just found myself, and I loved being around people and it was so nice.

“I realised that I didn’t want to retire, I still want to keep going and train as much as I can. I found my love for swimming again.

“I know that it’s going to be really tough to get back on the team. We’ve got the likes of Ellie Robinson, it’s good those youngsters are coming through because I’m not going to be around all the time. It’s nice for me to have the rivalry.

“I’d love to go to a fourth games and be back on that podium, be back on top. Just to go to the Paralympics, represent my country again, wear that tracksuit would be a huge honour.

“I’d love to go out on a high in Tokyo, that would be my main goal but it’s two years away, I’m just taking it each day as it comes.”