Olympic silver medallist and former open water double world champion Keri-anne Payne not only spends 20 hours a week in the pool, works her butt of doing weights, cardio circuits, yoga and running but she also knows a thing or two about looking good having been the face of a high profile beauty brand ahead of London 2012. We love Keri-anne’s style in and out of the pool and were lucky enough to grab a few minutes of her time between training sessions…
1) What’s your favourite way to stay fit? – It’s a balance of swimming and gym work for me. Swimming uses all of my muscles and keeps me fit, then on dry land the gym keeps my body toned.
2) How did you get into it and what do you love about it? – I couldn’t get enough of swimming when I was little, I spent most of my time in the pool from a young age and fell in love with it. I love the freedom of the water, it’s where I feel most comfortable.
3) Can you share your favourite insider tips on how to get fit? – Consistency is the key! It’s not about going to the gym six times in one week and twice the next week. You need to be realistic with yourself about how many sessions you CAN do each week and stick to that until it becomes a routine. Once things start to become easy then I would add in another session. You will see and feel the difference physically and mentally if you stick to a plan. Finding a gym buddy usually helps too!
4) What kit do you like to wear? – For swimming its all about Speedo! They have so many different types and colours of swim suits, I could almost wear a different one each session. Not only do they have fashionable pieces but endurance suits too which last for years and when you swim ten times a week like I do that comes in handy. Speedo also have a ‘sculpture’ range for women, which is suited to all shapes and sizes.
5) What does looking good whilst working out mean to you? – Looking good makes me feel a bit more confident but I would never not give 100% in the gym or pool if I didn’t have a matching outfit on!
6) How does sportswear make a difference to your performance levels? – Speedo’s racing suit, the ‘Fast Skin’, is waterproof so when I dive into the water at a competition it helps me to float on the surface. Their new range of coloured suits are brilliant, I love the purple one!
7) What do you do to feel good in the water? – Wearing the right sized swim suit makes a huge difference, if it’s too big it drags and makes me feel terrible. Also anything with a splash of purple makes me happy!
8) What are your tips for looking good pool-side? – A good water proof concealer and mascara are essential.
Keri-anne Payne completed the British Gas SwimBritain Open Water challenge. There’s still time to get involved in one of the nine pool events taking place across the country, go to swimbritain.co.uk/signup to sign up for remaining events this September and find out which swim star will be coming to a pool near you.