Shropshire swimming star breaks new record for Lake Como crossing

Shropshire swimming star Hector Pardoe has broken another record by becoming the quickest man to swim the length of Lake Como.

The 25-year-old completed the 29.5-mile journey across the Italian lake, considered one of the “crown jewels” of inland open water swimming, in 10 hours and 41 minutes, knocking more than nine hours off the previous fastest time.

Pardoe, who is targeting a third Olympic appearance in Los Angeles two years from now, burned more than 9,000 calories and expired over 11 litres of sweat as he swam from Como FC’s stadium to Gera Lario.

The former Ellesmere College ace was supported by a medical team monitoring every aspect of his nutrition, heart rate and physiology.

He was also accompanied by a film crew, who recorded all of his 35,000 strokes for a follow-up to last year’s YouTube short King of the Lakes, which charted Pardoe’s successful attempt to swim Britain’s three biggest lakes and has received more than one million views.

Pardoe said: "At times during the swim I really had to push through the exhaustion, pain, heat, humidity and waves.

“There were moments when I genuinely questioned why I’d signed up for this swim, moments where everything in my body was telling me to stop.

“But giving up was never going to be an option. I can fully understand why so few people have ever previously attempted, let alone completed this iconic swim.

“I’ve always dreamt of swimming Como. In my eyes it is the crown jewels of inland open water swimming – perhaps equivalent within swimming circles to the Monaco Grand Prix.”

Pardoe, who trains regularly in Italy, explained how he first visited Como as a youngster while on family holidays.

He said: “Two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics, where my goal is to win an Olympic medal, this felt like the perfect opportunity to do something that I will remember forever.”

“In years to come, when I look back on my career, I want to be able to remember moments like winning my medal at the World Championships in Doha; racing at the Paris Olympics; and winning the BBC Green Sports Award for Athlete of the Year.

“Swimming the length of Italy’s most famous lake will be right up there.”