Dylan Jones
News
Swimming to Success: From BSU Swimming Society to LA 2028
Monday, 31 March, 2025Amongst BSU’s array of vibrant Societies, Bath Spa Swim Soc is one of many groups using sport to socialize, meet new people and have fun – as well as being home to many talented athletes.
One such member of the society, Dylan Jones, already enjoyed a successful swimming career for Team GB before arriving at BSU. Having started his swim journey at the age of 6, Dylan moved into competitive swimming aged 7/8 when he was selected for a progressive squad, competing at a national standard specialising in 50/100m freestyle and butterfly.
In the present day, Dylan now competes in modern pentathlon, having transitioned over to the sport around 5 years ago. Having tried shooting and fencing as part of a taster at a biathlon competition, Dylan found a new passion, deciding to buy his own kit and join a local pentathlon club.
After a year of pursuing pentathlon, Dylan was successful enough to reach a national ranking and continued to persist with the discipline. He has since competed at European and World Championships representing Great Britain. Discussing his experiences at international level, Dylan said:
“It's an indescribable experience representing your country abroad. A massive mix of emotions contribute to performance, being part of the team is something I'll be forever grateful for as it was my lifegoal to do so”.
While still pursuing his studies, Dylan is currently in full time preparation at the national training centre alongside team GB, with aspirations of competing in the upcoming Olympic games in LA 2028. He said:
“Balancing studies is very difficult; this year I have gone down the route of splitting my year in half to make everything a bit more manageable. - doing 3 modules this year (3rd year) and 3 next year (4th year). I spend a lot of my time between training sessions making up lectures, but I try my best to mould my training plan around university. Currently I'm studying Human Nutrition so this links in well with my sporting career, I plan to do my dissertation on something related to sport”.
As part of the BSU society community, the Swim Soc permits Dylan a break from the competitive side of sport and offers a chance to relax amongst friends. Vice-President of the society, Seren Williams, said:
“Being part of the swim society opens the door to friendships and relationships with a wide range of people, from different backgrounds, and different courses, but also allows you to take a break from studying to relax in the pool surrounded by friends.
The society is very relaxed, and there’s no pressure to swim competitively, where you can swim how much you want for how long you want, and it’s open to all abilities. We try to have socials once a week, or once every two weeks, allowing the society to come together as friends in a different environment, but also setting themes for each week makes it enjoyable”.
Whether you’re refining your skills or picking up a new one, there are a number of different societies that you can join at Bath Spa University.