Swimming champions taking the plunge to highlight plastic menace
THEY are used to performing their flawless routine in pristine pools.
But these teenage synchronised swimming champions volunteered to attempt it amid the kind of plastic rubbish that litters the world’s oceans – to raise awareness of the plight of marine animals.
Kate Shortman, 17, and 18-year-old Isabelle Thorpe performed twirls, kicks and half-somersaults surrounded by plastic bottles, containers, carrier bags and toiletries. A video of them struggling through the plastic at a pool in Bristol is available online.
The British international pair were challenged to perform their world championship routine by the Big Bang Fair to highlight young people’s efforts to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution. Isabelle said: ‘Trying to do our routine in a pool full of plastic was really hard. We kept getting our legs stuck in the bags and bopping our heads on bottles.
‘It really hit home how awful it must be for the poor turtles and other sea life that go through that every day, so to hear so many people our age are using science and technology to come up with solutions to help this situation for the future is really great.’
The Big Bang Fair aims to get youngsters to use their scientific and engineering skills. It is free and takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from tomorrow until Saturday.