Sarah Hardcastle

Sarah Hardcastle was a teenage prodigy who broke national records and won a European Championship medal at the age of 14. In 1984 she became the youngest British female to win an Olympic medal when she won two medals in the distance freestyle events of the Los Angeles Olympics. Although she had medal success at both the 1985 European and 1986 World Championships and won two titles at the 1986 Commonwealth Games she grew disillusioned from the sport and retired whilst still only 17 years of age.

After six years away from the sport she resumed training following the Barcelona Olympics and in 1993 was a member of the British 4x200 m relay team that took a bronze medal at the European Championship. Hardcastle added a Commonwealth Games silver in the relay and an individual bronze in 1994. Her one and only global championship title arrived in 1995 when she won at Short-Course Worlds in the 800 free and the following year in Atlanta she became the first British swimmer to qualify for an individual Olympic final since she herself had performed the feat 12 years earlier. She emigrated to New Zealand where she works as a swimming and fitness instructor.