Nick Parkes back on national podium 12 months after almost losing his life

Nick Parkes was back on the podium at the GoCardless Swim England Open Water National Masters Championships – 12 months after almost losing his life at the same event.

The 63-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest during the 5K race at the 2023 Championships and only survived thanks to the efforts of medically trained event staff who performed CPR and defibrillator treatment on him for more than 30 minutes.

The Harrogate District swimmer has no recollection of the drama that unfolded after he was dragged from the water but credits Swim England’s event team and the treatment he subsequently received in hospital for saving his life.

He resumed swimming earlier this year and was back at Rother Valley Country Park on Sunday to claim silver medals in the 5K and 2K races in the 60-64 age category and admits returning to the scene of his medical incident was an emotional experience.

“It was emotional for me and for lots of other people in many ways,” he said. “I haven’t seen a lot of these people that were here last year since then and I think the last vision they had of me probably wasn’t very good.

“I have no memory of what happened so it’s something I feel I need to do to give back to them in a humble way because if it hadn’t been for the setup and all the team in every way shape or form it wouldn’t have worked and it did. So, I can only give thanks to everybody.”

Thank you to everyone

Parkes admits the support of the open water community in general has been an enormous factor in his return to full health and competition.

“They’re absolutely fantastic. It’s like a massive, big family,” he added. “When it happened the swimming world, the texts, the emails they came from everywhere.

“And again, it’s quite humbling and overwhelming to realise how many people think the world of you.

“So, my heart goes out to and thanks to everybody because they’ve all encouraged me in some way, shape or form. Some of them don’t even know they’ve encouraged me but they are a family and everyone that is here, it’s been fantastic.”

Parkes was accompanied at Rother Valley by his biggest supporter, his wife Mags, and he was at pains to thank her for her unwavering backing.

He revealed: “Well behind every swimmer, athlete there’s a team but there’s one person and she’s been the mainstay right from when I was in hospital, following me through and helping me get back to fitness.

“It’s been a long road, we’ve been to some dark places but every time I’ve turned from not being able to walk after the operation to where we are now. There’s not enough words I can find to thank her. She’s fantastic.”

“It’s just overwhelming (to be back in the water). I didn’t think 12 months on from where I was following the operation that I would indeed even get back in the water let alone be back to fitness and being able to swim.

“My expectations were just down there after having gone to the gym and trying to rehabilitate myself. It was one step forward and two steps back, it was really difficult to try and find a level.

“So we literally went back to basics, back to how you first start swimming and gradually I just started to turn a corner this side of Christmas.

“I only really started training seriously back in the pool around February time so it’s just been fantastic.”

Images: Will Johnston Photography