EA Athletes Committee chair Tancock charting his course in new era of co-operation and support
In the second part of our look at the EA Athletes Committee, chair Liam Tancock reflects on his own aquatics journey
After a world class swimming career Liam Tancock has reached a position where, as chair of the EA Athletes Committee, he can bring his experience and love of the sport to bear on behalf new generations in the pool and open water.
Born in Exeter, Tancock – now 40 – began swimming at his local club before studying at Loughborough University, earning gold at the 2005 World University Games in his signature event, the 50m backstroke.
He went on to win 2008 world short course 100m backstroke gold and world long course 50m backstroke titles in 2009 and 2011, as well as reaching Olympic finals in 2008 and 2012.
Tancock’s career haul was further increased by a silver and two bronzes at the EA long course championships and four gold medals from three Commonwealth Games between 2006 and 2014. He also held the 50m backstroke long course world record for almost a decade.
After the final fling of reaching the 100m backstroke final at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships at the age of 30, “The Tank” – as he was known to many – found himself needing to make tracks in a new direction…
“I loved the sport and had been involved in it since I was a kid learning to swim and then competing at the highest level,” he told European Aquatics. “I didn’t want to just walk away not being able to give back.
“But I didn’t want to be a coach. I wanted to give back in a different way. And during the last years of my swimming career Aquatics GB saw my ambitions to do that and put me forward for a UK Sport international leaders programme where you worked alongside CEOs or directors of national federations.
“That happened in 2017, and it was the first year that UK Sport saw the benefits of having athletes or former athletes within that circle, so I guess we were a bit of a test case.
“They basically fast-tracked people to be in the international relations world – and I realised I loved that world. I also became a member of the British Olympic Association’s Athlete Committee and, in 2018, the UK Anti-Doping Athlete Committee.
“When it came to the formation of the European Aquatics Athletes Committee I was put forward by Aquatics GB. And it was then decided that I would be good in a chair position, so that’s where it started.
“I was elected initially in May 2022 and then we were re-nominated at last October’s EA Congress in Tbilisi.
“It was particularly exciting because it was starting from afresh. The good thing for me was that it felt like European Aquatics were really keen to listen.
“And for me its been really good over the last few years that we’ve been involved as an Athletes Committee.
“I don’t think there’s one thing that we asked for or recommended that hasn’t been either implemented or given. They’ve been very, very good and very supportive.
“I’ve been part of Athlete Committees that are just there to sort of tick a box. This definitely isn’t like that.
“The leadership of the EA is very interested in development and the athlete-centred approach.. And there’s lots of work going on behind the scenes – sometimes I can’t keep up with it!
“When I first started at EA in 2022 and I was going into a Bureau meeting, I felt like a new kid on the block almost, even though I’d been around swimming for a long time. But it was fine.
“It is nice to feel that support at the highest level in EA. As President, Antonio (Silva) has been great. I can call him at any time, and he will answer. That is unheard of within his world; that is really good.”
And there have been manifold other reasons for satisfaction since Tancock has embraced his most recent role.
“I was a backstroker so I am always keeping a close eye on what’s going on there,” Tancock added.
“Most recently I was honoured to be able to present Oliver Morgan with his 100m backstroke bronze medal at EA Short Course Championships. He had broken my longstanding British record in getting to the final.
“But for me the most exciting thing about swimming is when it gets people off their seats and excited.
“We were in Belgrade for the 2024 European Championships and there were some amazing performances there. Obviously (David) Popovici did his thing. But some of the most exciting races for me were when the whole crowd was going crazy for the relays at the end. It was just wild.
“Swimming isn’t just about the medals, the times and the glory, it’s about special moments like that.
“When I was in Lausanne once I met the then International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. I was introduced as Liam Tancock, former Olympian and world record holder, and he turned round and said ‘You are never a former Olympian. Once an Olympian always an Olympian.’
“I think that’s a really powerful thing – you are always part of a club. And I see that in aquatics. Once you’re part of the family you are always part of the family.
“Swimming gets you. It keeps you in, doesn’t it?”
Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics
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