Ian Edmond, Britain’s top 200m breaststroker for the past few years, has called time on his swimming career to concentrate fully on his medical studies. The 26-year-old Scot, winner of the silver medal at the Barcelona World Championships and the current British and Commonwealth record holder for the 200m event, has been suffering with a knee injury, which hastened his decision.
Like many of Britain’s Athens Olympians, Edmond did not feel able to commit to another four-year cycle until Beijing. Unfortunately his foray into the Olympic pool ended in disappointment as he was disqualified in the semi finals, leaving his runner up spot in 2003 as his crowning moment.
In that race he was only headed by then world record holder Kosuke Kitajima and beat current world record holder Brendan Hansen into third with a storming last lap. He has also won the European Short Course title, during his seven-year stint on the national squad.