Open water swimmer Keri-Anne Payne is used to battling sharks and jellyfish, but reeds and ducks are as bad as it should get for her at London 2012.
Fresh from a morning swim in The Serpentine, where she became the first swimmer to test this summer’s open water competition venue, Payne (pictured) was in buoyant mood.
Payne, still only 24, is aiming to improve on the silver medal she won in the 10km open water event at Beijing 2008, by taking gold at the Hyde Park venue on August 9.
And dealing with ducks and reeds is considerably tame when you consider the previous experiences she has had when competing at other major events around the world.
As if braving dead animals in China and shark-infested waters in Hong Kong weren’t bad enough, it was an experience in Australia which Payne admits scared her the most.
After that, ducks and reeds should be a swim in the park.
By Jon Waring