Westlake’s a swim star

WESTLAKE A SWIM STAR

THE SPORTING prowess of new Latics loan signing Ian Westlake extends to both land and water.

The 25-year-old midfield player has represented his country not at football but water polo.

And another claim to fame is that Westlake once beat Olympic swimmer Karen Pickering in a charity race.

Westlake, who swam competitively for home-town Clacton, was at Ipswich when he competed against Pickering.

He explained: “It all came about when the lads were watching the 2004 Olympic Games and it was mentioned that Karen Pickering was from Ipswich.

“I remarked that I could probably beat her and the boys hammered me for weeks saying there was no way I could beat an Olympic swimmer.

“I thought I had a chance over a short distance as she competed over the longer ones and I would have the power to out do her.

“Somebody did a fun run with Karen and mentioned that a footballer thought he could beat her and she accepted the challenge.

“The race over two lengths ended up being screened live on Sky Sports.”

As a youngster, Westlake used to swim for Clacton and took the sport so seriously he would train before school and for 11 hours each week.

He also played water polo for England under-18s as a 16-year-old when he had to decide between that sport and football.

“It was to join Ipswich Town or play water polo so there was never going to be a choice,” he explained.

Westlake added it was natural he took to the water, coming from a family of swimmers. Parents Nick and Virginia and brother Adrian all swam at county level, as did other members of the family.

Adrian, like Ian, also played water polo for South of England schools.

Westlake said that it was only by accident that he turned to football after an injury prevented him from swimming for a time when he was 10 or 11 years of age.

“I started playing for Clacton United and within a couple of months I had joined Ipswich and never looked back,” he said.

Westlake combined football and swimming until the age of 16 when he had to decide his career option.

But he believes the gruelling training in the pool has helped him reach the top of football because he has always had a high fitness level.

Westlake still plays water polo in the summer for fun and, once he retires, intends to join a club and again play the sport competitively.