Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, announced Ros Hardiman as an Honor Swimmer in the IMSHOF Class of 2024.

Ros Hardiman has completed the following marathons:

• 2009 English Channel 33 km in 20 hours 17 minutes
• 2019 Loch Ness 36.2 km in 20 hours 10 minutes at age 67
• 2007 Lake Windermere 16.9 km in 7 hours 30 minutes
• 1984 Southsea War Memorial to Ryde Isle of Wight – Southsea (2-way) 11.3 km in 6 hours 27 minutes.

Denison explains the reasons for Hardiman’s recognition, “None of these swims were easy for the 71-year-old British swimmer from Portsmouth. She contracted poliomyelitis in 1958 at the age of six and has absolutely no use of her legs and lower back in the water. All her propulsion comes entirely from her arms. Ros grew up in the era where disabilities were hidden. She won several prizes in her first swimming club in 1965, but was not allowed to participate further since her parents did not feel that she fitted in. Fifteen years later, in 1980, three local swimming clubs refused to let her join due to her physical disability. She found acceptance and gained confidence while completing in Paralympic competitions in the 1990’s. Ros then moved to the open water and competed in 1 to 8 km events. She then looked to marathons and was a regular on the weekend training sessions on Dover Beach for several years.

The English Channel

In her first attempt at the English Channel in 2008, she swam for a punishing 25 hours and 14 minutes, but she missed the French coast by an estimated 700 meters, pulled exhausted from the water. For her effort, she was awarded the Frank Richards Endurance Award by the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation, the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Organization.

Denison explains further, “Hardiman can only walk a few steps using calipers, crutches, and a back brace. She is mostly dependent upon a wheelchair. This makes her a slower-than-average swimmer and her lack of leg movement makes hypothermia more likely. Logistics present further challenges: getting to and from the water is by hunching, on her rear end or having to crawl. So getting into support boats is tricky. Taking feeds during long swims is not easy since she can’t use her legs to tread water and maintain a position near the boat or kick upwards to reach a drink bottle – especially challenging in freshwater. Ros has been unable to take on marathon swims outside of the UK because organizers have been unable or unwilling to accept a swimmer with her physical disability.

Paraswimming Leadership, Achievements, and Influence

Hardiman competed in both the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. Between 1995 and 2001, she held multiple world records in the S7 and SB6 disability classes.

She has also raised funds for disability swim clubs and volunteered as helper during swim sessions and served on committees for local disability swimming clubs and Portsmouth’s canoeing club.

She received additional Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation awards in 2009:

• Ray Scott Award for the oldest successful swimmer of the year
• Peter Adams Award for the most successful endurance swim

Her 37 km crossing of Loch Ness in Scotland earned her the Hans Belay Trophy for the Swim of the Year from the British Long Distance Swimming Association.

Inspiration

Hardiman adds, “I’ve found great friendship and camaraderie amongst open water swimmers and have had tremendous help from several people along the way to whom I owe a great debt. I’ve always had to fight to gain acceptance and to pursue my dreams. I like to think that I can encourage others to do the same, I firmly believe that the more you do, the more you CAN do, so go for it.“

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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