It says much for Lucy Hope’s tenacity that in a team full of superstars, the Edinburgh woman has been a mainstay of the British swimming squad for almost a decade. Hope may not have generated headlines in the vein the likes of Duncan Scott has managed but her longevity is a testament to someone who has gone about her business with little fanfare yet has picked up 13 major championship medals over the years, including an impressive seven relay golds at the European Championships, over the years. In a sport such as swimming, which sees many of the top athletes, particularly on the female side, retire in their early 20s, Hope is bucking that trend in emphatic fashion .
And having been selected for her second Olympic Games this summer, the 27-year-old admits one of her proudest achievements is her ability to continue improving at an age at which many swimmers have already hung up their goggles. “I’m definitely one of the older ones in the British team now, which I get reminded of all the time by the younger guys,” Hope says before going onto explain what’s been behind her ability to forge such a long career. Lucy Hope is one of the elder stateswomen of the GB swimming team (Image: Getty) “It’s been about consistency – I’m really consistent in my training and I very rarely get ill.
It’s about turning up to training every day and putting in your best effort and because of that, I’ve been able to stay at this level for so long. “Often, you think your peak is .