We are delighted that Fiona has joined our BRIT Ambassador family and is championing the BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health and fitness throughout the UK.
Fiona represented Great Britain in Water Polo for 10 years on the international stage including the 2012 London Olympic Games. She captained Liverpool who won the British Water Polo Championships and British National Water Polo League. Following her retirement, Fiona has spent almost nine years with British Cycling and was recently appointed Programmes Manager.
“As a former student at Manchester Metropolitan University and Liverpool John Moores University, and also with 10 years as a Great Britain Water Polo player and nine years working with British Cycling, I am acutely aware of the increase in the number of young adults, students and elite athletes facing mental health challenges. It’s so important that those who need specialist support have access to it and that we continue to find innovative ways to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, destigmatise mental health and improve student, and staff, wellbeing.
It’s great to see that the British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) are delivering the annual BRIT Challenge and inviting every university, college, specialist college and Students’ Union to take part in order to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK. I am delighted that almost 250 university and college teams have taken part in BRIT Challenges over the past two years and with the continued support of education and sport governing bodies, there is clear potential for the BRIT Challenge to be a firm fixture in every university and college’s Calendar of Events. This will ensure every student and staff member has the opportunity to participate each year.
The BRIT Challenge is inclusive and enables students and staff of all abilities to take part in this feelgood February fundraiser and work as a team to cover the target distance by either hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding). I hope students and staff who swim, cycle and hand-cycle will add miles to their team targets and that swimming and cycling clubs throughout the UK will also enter teams in the annual BRIT Challenge.
I’m honoured to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family to promote the BRIT Challenge, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion. I encourage my fellow Olympians and Paralympians to join our BRIT Ambassador family and assist in supporting universities, colleges and students who take part in the annual BRIT Challenge.
I would be delighted to support and encourage students and staff at Manchester Metropolitan University and Liverpool John Moores University as they take on their BRIT Challenge”.
Fiona Pimblett OLY
Great Britain Water Polo athlete
Fiona graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2009, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Science. In 2010, Fiona graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a Master of Science degree in Marketing Communications.
Fiona was an Elite Water Polo Player with British Swimming between 2004 and 2014.
Highlights including competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, World League, Commonwealths and World University Games
In addition to her international career, Fiona captained Liverpool who retained the British Water Polo Championship title in 2014 & 2015 and won the British National Water Polo League in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2016, including winning Top Scorer and MVP in 2008
Her career culminated in a lifelong dream of representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games and Fiona achieved this in 2012 at the London Summer Olympics.
After retiring as an elite athlete, Fiona joined British Cycling in 2013. Between 2013 and 2022, Fiona was a Great Britain Cycling Team Programmes Coordinator and in 2021, was appointed Programmes Manager.
For more information about Water Polo, please visit the British Swimming website.
For more information on Swimming Clubs, please visit the Swim England website.
You can follow Fiona on Twitter.