HECTOR PARDOE has reflected on the tough nature of open water swimming ahead of his return to the Olympic Games.

Wrexham-born Pardoe is a member of the British team at the Games, which get underway in Paris on Friday.

Pardoe secured his spot at the Olympics when he sealed Britain’s first marathon swimming medal in over a decade at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.

Competing in the men’s 10km event, Pardoe launched a late sprint to take bronze.

Three years ago at the Tokyo Games, Pardoe suffered an eye injury when he was elbowed by a fellow competitor during the final lap of the race.

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: “It was a hard pill to swallow and it’s quite unheard of for an injury that severe to happen.

“But open water swimming is a physical sport - people have had their ribs broken before - but to get your eye injured to that extent hasn’t happened to anyone. When you think of open water swimming you don’t see it as a contact sport - it opened peoples eyes.

“There’s more going on under the water than 30 guys trying to sprint to the end.”

Pardoe, who will compete in the men’s 10k event on August 9, added: “As a top sportsman you have to move on and see that the past is the past. I’m writing a new narrative - Paris is hopefully going to be that for me.”