Leah Schlosshan is on a mission – to make her mark on the illustrious Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The 18-year-old City of Leeds high-flier is determined to become the first female swimmer from her home nation to qualify for the Games, and she’s leaving no stone unturned in her pursuit. Already achieving success at the European Junior Championships last year, picking up the gold medal in the 200m medley, the straight A* student has opted to take a gap year to hone her craft in the pool rather than head off to university.
Schlosshan’s long-time coach Richard Denigan is sticking by her side throughout the process, as they remain dedicated to optimising her times. Working closely with top-level athletes in the Loughborough, Bath, Stirling and Wales-based High Performance Centres, the former European Junior champion is keeping her focus on peaking her performance in preparation for the Paris Olympic Games.
The Sheffield Ponds Forge pool is expecting an appearance from Schlosshan for the British Swimming Championships and World Aquatics Championships trials this April. She’ll be hoping to gain more momentum from her campaign when her next racing opportunity arises and will be buoyed by having her family close by for support at the event.
The athlete is a prime example of the drive, resilience and ambition required in Olympians, willing to take risks and face setbacks like her tenth place finish in the 400m medley at the European Juniors. She showed grit to pick herself back up again and keep the long-term goal of qualifying for the Paris Games in sight.
For the City of Leeds, Schlosshan is a pioneer, demonstrating how far the talent within the city can go and how resolute they are in pursuit of their dreams. Team GB will be keeping an eye on her progress, as she moves another step closer towards her Olympic dream.
