Paralympic medallist Charlotte Henshaw has decided to swap her goggles for a paddle as she announces her retirement from swimming.
On the back of her success in Rio, Henshaw has been identified by British Canoeing and is currently a member of their Talent Confirmation Programme.
Henshaw has competed in swimming for almost a decade and has won medals at every level of competition including a silver and bronze at the Paralympics.
The three-time Paralympian holds the SB6 100m Breaststroke European record and is the current European Champion.
On her swimming career Henshaw said: “When I returned from Rio I took a few months away from the pool to really focus on where I wanted to be over the next few years. I came to the decision that, while I still have aspirations and goals in sport, I have reached the point where I feel I need to take on a new sporting challenge.
“Swimming has been my life since I was four-years old, so it has been very close to my heart and always will be. When I was nine-years old, I met Emily Jennings and wore her Paralympic gold medal, and from that moment my dream was to be a Paralympian. To have been able to realise that dream three times is beyond what I ever imagined. I feel very lucky to have been able to compete at the highest level for almost 10 years.
“There are so many people who have played an important part in my career - Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club, my first swimming teacher Linda Bennett, Mansfield District Council, Solo Sport Brands, Nottinghamshire County Council, Stirling University and the team at One Athlete. Nova Centurion has provided me with a brilliant environment in which to train and I'm very thankful to everyone at the squad for being so supportive for so many years.
“Thank you also has to go to my friends and family who have been there every step of the way during my swimming career, especially my Mum, Rosie. She has been taxi driver, chief cheerleader at every competition, my biggest support and everything else in between. To have such a brilliant network of people around me means the absolute world.
“To Glenn Smith, my coach of 18 years, a simple thank you doesn't seem enough. Glenn's unwavering belief in me and his unparalleled dedication to coaching has been crucial in my career. It has truly been a team effort. Words cannot sum up how grateful I am to him for everything he has done for me.
“I'd also like to thank the people at British Swimming who have supported me for many years. I’ll miss the team and I wish them all well in the future and in their preparations for Tokyo and beyond.”
National Performance Director Chris Furber said: “Charlotte has competed at every level of our sport and has stood on the podium at every level of our sport in her ten-year career.
“From myself and the rest of the team we wish her well with canoeing and know she will be successful within the sport.”
Henshaw began canoeing at the end of 2016 and has already competed at the 2017 National Regatta Series. She aims to continue in her new sport with a target to qualify for the European Championships.
“I watched the brilliant performances of the Paracanoe team in Rio and was very keen to try something new,” Henshaw said. “I felt like I was ready to take on a new challenge that is different from anything I have done before. British Canoeing is based in Nottingham, so it was a perfect opportunity for me to try it out. Both staff and athletes have been very welcoming, which helped me decide to pursue the sport.
“The most important thing for me is that I am enjoying the new challenge. After spending so many years doing one sport, it's refreshing and exciting to be able to push myself in a completely different way. The foundations I have built over years of swimming have put me in a great place to now approach this new challenge head on.
“When I was sitting at the closing ceremony in Rio, I knew I wasn't ready to give up competing at the highest level. I'm definitely still hungry for more. At the moment I'm taking each day as it comes and I'm trying to just enjoy the change and not put too much pressure on myself.
“However, I wouldn't have made this change if I didn't believe that I have the ability to compete for Great Britain again. A fourth Paralympic Games would be beyond what I had ever imagined, but I would love to be there in Tokyo - on the water instead of in it this time.”