Mark Foster: Five Olympics, eight World Records, one double life

Olympian. Record-breaker. Flag bearer.

Mark Foster was the fastest swimmer in Britain by 15, and one of the most enduring sprinters this country has ever produced. Across five Olympic Games and 23 years at the top, he won six world titles, eight world records and eleven European titles, carried the flag for Team GB in Beijing, and somehow kept finding another gear when sprinters are supposed to burn out. 

In this episode, Salim sits down with Mark to talk about the training revolution he helped pioneer, the double life he led for years before coming out, and what real longevity in sport actually looks like.

Together, Salim and Mark explore:

• Knowing you're something special at 11, and becoming the fastest swimmer in the UK by 15
• Why Mark helped reinvent British sprint training after the 1996 Olympics, borrowing from athletics and powerlifting
• The underwater pullout and starts that became his trademark, and the marginal gains behind them
• Chasing five Olympics without ever winning an individual medal, and what kept him coming back
• Living two separate lives for years, and the moment falling in love changed everything
• Ageing well, staying active in his fifties, and why he's finally ready to try open water

Useful links

• Mark's book: My Double Life, published by Bloomsbury, out now.
• Mark's official website: markfoster.co.uk/

Swim with Salim

• SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim
• Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/

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Produced by The Good Studio - thegoodstudio.co.uk