We are delighted that Toby is part of our BRIT Ambassador family and championing the annual BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health throughout the UK. Toby has earned successive World Championship call-ups to the British Marathon swimming team and in 2017, claimed bronze in the 800 metres Freestyle at the British Championships.
“I am delighted to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family, championing the annual BRIT Challenge and help to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK.
As a former student at Loughborough University, and being based at the National Centre Loughborough, I know that many students are facing many mental health challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the lives of students with existing mental health difficulties; particularly those who are vulnerable.
It is vital that students and young adults who need help with their mental health receive timely support. BRIT are not only partnering with other mental health charities and signposting students to them, they are inviting every university and college team taking part in the BRIT Challenge to choose a second charity to raise funds for, alongside BRIT, to support local, regional and national charities.
The annual BRIT Challenge is an exciting opportunity for every university, college, specialist college and Students’ Union to enter teams and encourage their students and staff to take part. The BRIT Challenge has been designed to be inclusive and enable students and staff of all abilities to take part in many different ways; by hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
I urge my fellow Great Britain swimmers to join our BRIT Ambassador family so, together, we can promote the BRIT Challenge at universities and colleges of our choice, encourage participation, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion.
I look forward to encouraging and supporting students and staff at Loughborough University to take on the BRIT Challenge and hope every swimmer at Loughborough adds distance to the university team’s 2,022 mile target.
Toby Robinson
Team GB Open Water Swimmer
Toby is a Team GB Open Water Swimmer and based at the National Centre Loughborough. He is a Loughborough University Graduate and specialises in marathon swimming and 1500m freestyle, having reached international level in both 10K and 5K events. Toby has competed at the 2017 World Championships, 2017 World University Championships, 2018 European Games, 2019 World Championships and the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World Open Water Series.
In 2017, Toby raced at the Budapest World Championships in both the Men’s 5km and Mixed 5km Teal relay events and achieved top-20 placings in both. In the same year, Toby won bronze in the 800 metres Freestyle at the British Championships in Sheffield, was 9th in the 400 metres Freestyle and 4th in the 1500 metres Freestyle.
At the 2018 European Championships In Glasgow, Toby achieved top-10 placings in both the individual and team events.
In 2019, at his second World Championships in Gwangju, Toby earned a top-20 finish in the 10km race and was part of the Mixed 5km Team Relay foursome who finished in 11th place.
To find out more about Toby and British Swimming, please visit the British Swimming website.