A swimming coach from Bristol has been nominated for a prestigious UK Coaching award, in recognition of their impact coaching athletes to high-level success on the national and international stage.

Karen Thorpe, Head of Performance for GB Artistic Swimming, has been announced as a finalist for the UK Coaching High Performance Coach of the Year Award, which recognises the achievements of a coach working with athletes at the highest levels of performance in sport, either as the athlete's personal coach or a coach of the national team.

Reflecting on the news, Thorpe said: “I am incredibly proud and honoured to be nominated for a UK Coaching Award.

“To be recognised for my contributions to the development and success of artistic swimming and athletes at the highest level is a privilege, especially in a sport that has grown and evolved so much in recent years.

placeholder image — Last Year's UK Coaching Awards

“This nomination reflects not just my work but the dedication and passion of everyone involved in our programme from the athletes themselves to thecoaches and support staff.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing to the growth of artistic swimming and helping athletes achieve their best.”

Thorpe has consistently coached athletes to high-level success on the national and international stage.

Since the Tokyo Games, where the GB Olympic duet of Izzy Thorpe and Kate Shortman finished 14th, she has enabled them to improve significantly, culminating in a historic first ever Olympic medal, in Paris.

A career which has been defined by a commitment to person-centred coaching, Thorpe started out as a volunteer club coach and has progressed to her current role where she works with National, International and Olympic athletes, prioritising and meeting athletes individual needs along the way.

Her approach involves continuous communication, ensuring both physical and mental well-being are attended to.

Thorpe’s solution-focused coaching adapts to individual challenges, finding ways to help athletes push through obstacles, whilst maintaining a fair and supportive environment. This balance has fostered not only strong performance results but also long-term trust and personal growth among theathletes she coaches.

It isn’t just coaching where she has made a significant impact, Thorpe recognises that water is a vital element in artistic swimming. Prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games she led a campaign using her artistic swimmers to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Looking at the motivations behind her coaching, Thorpe added: “As a coach, my role goes beyond just improving athletic performance.

“I focus on developing each athlete as a whole person, ensuring they have the physical, mental and emotional support to achieve their best both in and out of the pool.

“My approach is centred around the athlete, meaning that I want my coaching to match their individual needs, goals and circumstances.

“I have tried over the years to set and achieve their personal and performance goals while developing a strong sense of work ethic, confidence and resilience.

“I’m driven by a passion for the sport, to see it succeed and to help athletes realise their own potential. I have a belief that sport can shape people’s lives in profound ways.

“Ultimately, I coach because I believe in the transformative power of sport and the positive impact it can have on individuals and communities.”

The UK Coaching Awards is regarded as the most prestigious event within the coaching community, established to recognise the invaluable role coaches play in building a happier and healthier society.

Previous award winners have included Sarina Wiegman, Judy Murray, Aston Moore and the coaches behind Lucy Bronze and Ben Stokes’ path to success.

UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon, reflected on the breadth of coaching talent announced as this year’s finalists, he added: “We are very excited to announce the finalists of the 2024 UK Coaching Awards. Each year we see true excellence from our coaches in the UK at every level, and it is a welcome challenge to select our finalists.

“Coaches across the nation can all be proud of the incredible contribution they make to health and well-being in the UK.

“We’ve made some exciting changes to this year’s event and following the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games this year we look forward to welcoming some special guests from Team GB.”

The awards will be held on 10 December at The Queens Hotel in Leeds.

Find out more about this year’s finalists and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/events/our-awards.