Jemima brings home a bronze for Great Britain

Jemima Rudd-Jones delivered a week of outstanding performances at the 2025 European Down Syndrome Swimming Championships held in Albufeira, Portugal last month. Competing against the continent’s strongest athletes, 29-year-old Jemima, who trains with RTW Monson swimming club, produced multiple personal-best‐level swims, reached several finals, and secured a European bronze medal.

Jemima’s standout performance came in the 200m Individual Medley, where she swam a superb 3:57.85 to claim bronze for Great Britain. She also impressed in the gruelling 400m Individual Medley, finishing 4th in a time of 8:27.68, a significant improvement from her entry time. In both medley events, Jemima showed remarkable consistency and competitive resilience.

In the butterfly events, Jemima reached the final of the 100m Butterfly, placing 5th with a time of 1:53.02 after qualifying strongly through the heats. She also finished 8th in both the 50m Butterfly and 100m Breaststroke, and 7th in the 200m Breaststroke, delivering steady improvements across multiple rounds.  Jemima narrowly missed another final in the 100m Individual Medley, finishing as first reserve in 9th place. 

It was a great championship for Jemima, which saw her clock up six finals and many personal bests. She thrived on the atmosphere of such a large, high-pressure event and raised her game, which is testament to her dedication, progression and competitive spirit.