With the 2026 Aquatics GB Championships being held in April, Brock Whiston became the British champion having won Gold in the Women’s Multi-Classification 100m Breaststroke and she finished 5th in the Multi-Classification 400m Freestyle. In 2025, Brock came away with four medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore in September, winning Gold in the Women’s SM8 200m Individual Medley, Silver in the Women’s SM8 400m Freestyle and SB8 100m Breaststroke and Bronze in the Women’s S8 Butterfly. Brock made her Paralympic debut for ParalympicsGB at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where she came away as the Paralympic champion in the Women’s SM8 200m Individual Medley as well as winning Silver in the Women’s SB8 100m Breaststroke, and after the Games, she was a guest at Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III, celebrating the Paralympic and Olympic medallists and attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. For Brock’s return to major competitions after the coronavirus pandemic and reclassifications, she competed at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, and in 2019, she made her international debut in front of a home crowd at the London World Para Swimming Championships where she broke numerous records including the 200m Individual Medley, with the previous world record held by American swimmer Jessica Long (who was also racing). At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, Brock became the 4x World champion, having won Gold in SB8 100m Breaststroke, SM8 200m Individual Medley, Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay and Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay. Next month, Brock will be competing at her first Commonwealth Games, having been selected for the Team England para swimming squad. We talked to Brock about her four medal wins at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, her experience making her Paralympic debut at Paris 2024 and becoming 4x World champion at her international debut at the 2019 World Championships in London.
At the 2026 Aquatics GB Championships, which took place in April, you won Gold in the Women’s Multi-Classification 100m Breaststroke and finished 5th in the Women’s Multi-Classification 400m Freestyle, how did you feel this competition went for you, and what was it like becoming 2026 British champion?
So for me, this year’s 2026 Aquatics GB Championships was slightly different. I’ve recently changed classification, so for me, it was just all about going in and swimming the best I could – not just physically, but mentally. I’m really happy to come away with 5th in the 400m Freestyle, but for me the highlight wasn’t winning the 100m Breaststroke; it was the time that I had achieved. That’s one of the fastest times I’ve gone in such a long time. It’s faster than what I went in Paris and Singapore, so it was definitely a moment for me to tell myself I can do it.
What was it like competing at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore in September, where you came away with four medals (Gold – Women’s SM8 200m Individual Medley, Silver – Women’s S8 400m Freestyle and SB8 100m Breaststroke, and Bronze – Women’s S8 100m Butterfly)?
Singapore’s absolutely amazing. I mean, I had one of the best Championships I could ever have hoped for. The prep camp before was amazing, the team support was amazing, and yeah, it was just a really good experience, and one that I’ll remember for a long, long time.
In 2024, you made your Paralympic debut when you were selected to represent ParalympicsGB at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, how did you prepare for your races and how different did you find the Paralympics to your previous competitions?
So, for me, preparation for Paris 2024 was the same as other competitions. I think if you go in there with too much pressure on yourself, then you don’t perform at your best. In training, we just worked harder, we pushed harder, and we made sure that every training session counted. Whether that was working on technique or speed, we just really focused on making it the best training sessions leading up to Paris.
For me, Paris differed from other competitions, massively due to the fact there was an athletes village. I found this quite overwhelming. I remember walking to the village for the first time and crying because it was such a surreal experience. Also, the crowds in Paris are a lot larger than I’ve ever seen, so I was very, very nervous. I think I hadn’t prepared myself for quite what I was going to be like.
How was it becoming Paralympic champion in the Women’s SM8 200m Individual Medley, and winning Silver in the Women’s SB8 100m Breaststroke, and how did you feel collecting both of your medals?
So, I won my 100m Breaststroke Silver medal first, and I was really disappointed actually collecting the medal because I felt like I’d let everybody down as I was going in as the favourite. I remember I was very overwhelmed with the crowd and I let all my emotions get in my way. I don’t really think I enjoyed the swim because I wasn’t grounded and I was kind of floating in the air.
Then I went back, refocused and knew what to expect for the 200m IM. Still to this day it’s a bit of a wow, what a surreal moment, because you train for the moment but you never actually think it could happen. I just remember going to the podium to collect my medal, seeing my family and friends in the crowd, seeing the head coach from ParalympicsGB on the other side, and just thinking: yes, we finally did it.
Do you have any stand-out highlights from your Paralympic experience that you can share, and what was it like being part of ParalympicsGB?
I think a stand-out moment for me was just being in the Paralympic village. I mean, the support everyone gives everyone when you’re in the village, it’s like you forget you’re competitors and you’re just there to support everyone and wish everyone good luck. It’s just a really nice and safe environment.
I think it probably sounds really bad, but one of the highlight experiences for me was being asked to get a Costa for everyone and a fresh baguette before heading to the pool. To this day, I’ve still kept that little tradition that I get a coffee and a fresh bakery every morning before I race.
Can you tell us about visiting Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III and to celebrate the Paralympic and Olympic medallists, and how was it being a guest at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
I mean, visiting Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles was crazy. I mean, how many people get to say they get to go inside Buckingham Palace? I remember he spoke to me and I was like, “The King’s in front of me”. It’s a real honour to have that opportunity to share what being part of ParalympicsGB is about.
I think Sports Personality, for me, is just a real night to celebrate how amazing we are through sport, and how many successful athletes there are in the world. Just bringing everyone together because some of the athletes we actually never meet. It’s only due to events like Sports Personality that we get to be in one room together for the evening. I think it’s a real celebration of sport and a happy moment.
You returned to major international competitions for the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira after coronavirus and reclassifications, how was it competing at these Championships after time away?
It was actually a real struggle for me because I wasn’t actually able to compete in my main event, so I was competing in my weaker events. To go to a major Championships and not be able to showcase what I can do was actually a challenging moment.
I performed better than I was hoping for in those events, and it just gave me a bigger drive to carry on competing.
What was it like making your international debut at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in front of a home crowd in London?
It was absolutely amazing. I mean, I had people that I worked with come to watch me, people that had taught me to swim in the past, and family, friends and coaches. It was amazing. Not many people get the opportunity to say they competed at home World Championships at an Olympic pool.
Do you remember how you felt becoming 4x World champion in London in the Women’s SB8 100m Breaststroke, SM8 200m Individual Medley, Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay and Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, and how was it breaking numerous records at your first major international competition (including the 200m Individual Medley world record, which was previously held by American swimmer Jessica Long)?
I mean, Jessica Long is like the face of Paralympic sport and the queen of the S8 classification, so to beat her in the 200 IM in 2019 was a pinch-me moment.
Then, to break her world record was like: “Are you sure that’s my time? Are you sure you haven’t got that wrong?”. It felt like I was in a different universe, it was that surreal. I knew I’d done the hard work, and the hard work had clearly paid off.
To do four races and come away with four Golds at your first World Championships is, yeah. I mean, you can’t ask for much more than that.
How different are all of your events to swim in and what do you enjoy about each?
So, for me, my events are ranging from 100 metres to the 400 metres. I’m very lucky that the 200 Medley means that I’m able to practice all four strokes, and I definitely think that helps my 100m Breaststroke and my 400m Freestyle.
Where does your love of swimming come from and how did you originally get into it?
So, I first got into swimming at the age of three, and from then I just carried it on because it was something that I really enjoyed. It’s just grown from being a little three year old in a swim lesson to now being Paralympic champion.
Can you tell us about your typical training day and how much has it changed over time?
So, for me, a training day’s pretty full-on. I wake up just before 5am and then train 5:30 to 7:30 in the morning. Then I head straight to school, because I’m a teaching assistant at a primary school, so I do a full day at work and then come back to either use the gym or another pool session in the evening.
I train on Saturday mornings as well, but I’m very lucky that I get Sundays off, so Sunday’s a nice relaxing day.
Were there any swimmers/athletes that inspired you when growing up, and do you have any other favourite sports to watch?
So, for me, a massive idol of mine growing up was Ellie Simmonds, and I was lucky enough to actually be on a team with her. Other sports I like to watch are snooker and darts, and actually any sport on TV because I like the competition of it.
Have you received any advice over your career so far that has stuck with you, and what advice would you give a young para swimmer hoping for a career like yours?
For me, I’ve had quite a lot of advice from different people, but I think one of the main bits of advice I’ve had is: “You’ve done the hard work, just go in there and swim your race”.
The advice that I’d give to upcoming para swimmers is work on your strengths and your weaknesses will follow. It’s all about working on what you can do, and not telling yourself what you can’t do.
How do you like to spend your free time?
During my free time, I love to go to the zoo, do some baking, or just relaxing, doing some colouring in and having a bit down time. Also, the aquarium is a massive favourite of mine.
Do you have any competitions coming up that you can tell us about or that you are targeting?
My next big competition is the Commonwealth Games at the end of July and beginning of August. This will be my first time competing at the Commonwealth Games, and I’m really lucky that it’s one of my main events, so I’d really like to come away with a medal and do Team England proud.
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