Tokyo Olympic champion Kathleen Dawson returns to Warrington

Swimmer Kathleen Dawson reached the pinnacle of her sporting career when she won gold in Tokyo last month.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Scotland but moved to Warrington at the age of three, was part of Great Britain’s mixed 4 x 100m medley relay team that were crowned Olympic champions.

And she retuned to Woolston Neighbourhood Hub to meet the next generation of swimmers at Warriors of Warrington – her first swimming club – and show them that if they follow their dreams, anything is possible.

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian after appearing for photos and signing autographs, she said: “The whole Tokyo experience was amazing.

“It was unlike anything I had been to before, but I absolutely loved it, and to come away with a gold medal at my first Olympics is beyond anything I could have expected.

“A lot of the swimmers that went out there that had been to other Olympics said it wasn’t the same Olympics experience they’d had at previous games, but it didn’t sour it for me at all and I absolutely loved it.

Kathleen Dawson with youngsters from Warriors of Warringotn swimming club (Image: Mike Boden)

“It was great to know that my family were back here supporting me anyway, and they were on the champagne at 4 o’clock in the morning after I’d won.”

Former Great Sankey High School pupil Kathleen, who learnt to swim with LiveWire at Great Sankey Swimming Baths, said she knew the team had a solid chance of scoring gold, but to actually do it was unbelievable.

“We knew it was a great opportunity going into it to get gold, but to actually come away with the gold and physically have it in your hands is a different experience altogether,” she continued.

“It is still surreal to me, and when I realised we had won, it was just unbelievable.

“I pretty much spoke to my family 30 minutes after the race on the phone and they were absolutely buzzing for me and over the moon.

“I still can’t believe it when people say I’m a gold medallist and world record holder – it doesn’t feel like me they are describing.

“It’s sunk in that I’ve been to the Olympics and swam there, but me being a gold Olympic champion is bizarre.”

Kathleen signs an autograph for Warriors swimmer Rosie Barker-Mayer (Image: Mike Boden)

Kathleen says she is not one to keep getting her medal out and looking at it, but she is proud to take it along with her to events to show others.

Seeing the medal was much appreciated in Woolston, and Kathleen says it is always a pleasure to return to the town which has played a key role in her Olympic success.

“Everyone wants to see the medal when I visit somewhere, so it’s always a good opportunity for me to look at it again and realise it’s mine,” she added.

“It’s lovely to come back to where it all started and see people who have supported me throughout my journey.

“It’s also great to see all these young swimmers so they know that it’s possible to start here and end up with a gold medal around your neck.

“My time here definitely game me a mental resilience that I don’t think I could have got anywhere else.

“It has instilled some great properties in me – I am hard as nails mentally and could do anything, it’s just whether my body can do it as well.”

Kathleen took time out of her day to meet with inspired fans (Image: Mike Boden)

One ecstatic youngster who congratulated Kathleen on her gold medal win was nine-year-old Poppy Proctor.

She said that Kathleen was an inspiration to her and was delighted when she let her hold the hold medal, which she said was really heavy.

Another happy face was her Warriors swimming coach Darren Ashley, who explained how ‘over the moon he was’ when he saw her win gold in the early hours of July 31.

“I’ve known Kathleen since she was nine or 10, and from an early age you could see she had a high skill level,” he said.

“She has given young swimmers the motivation to look forwards given that she has won gold starting off at a LiveWire pool.”

Any youngsters who wish to give swimming a try are encouraged to email Darren at headcoach@swimwarriors.org.uk