The 13-Year-Old Record Breaker

​In October 2025, while most 13-year-olds were settling into the school year, Alexander was staring out at the English Channel. His team didn't just cross it, they conquered it. They completed the relay in 11 hours and 23 minutes, earning CSA awards for both the fastest and youngest junior crossing.

Success in open water isn't just about effort; it’s about resilience. Alexander's contribution to the 2025 records is backed by the official CSA Observer reports and GPS tracking, which provide a faultless record of his specific legs during that crossing. Those logs verify the resilience and discipline that allowed him to return to the water just 14 days later to land the youngest mixed relay crossing of the Bonifacio Strait. Now, training under the mentorship of Dave and Karen Quartermain at U Swim, he is bringing that same work ethic to his 2026 challenge for Aspire.

Since December he has been back in the water, preparing for what comes next. ​In 2026, age 14, Alexander is returning to the Channel. This time, the stakes are higher, he will be the only child in a team of six. His adult team mates are amazing.

​The Channel isn't just a long swim, it is a brutal environment. It means navigating one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, dodging massive tankers, all while navigating a swell that never rests. It means enduring bone-chilling temperatures, unpredictable currents, and the mental battle of swimming into the dark.

In 2026 Alex has put in hundreds of hours of lonely training, early mornings in cold pools and gruelling open-water sessions. He doesn't swim for the trophies, he does it because he enjoys how swimming makes him feel.

​Why I’m Swimming for Aspire

​Every two hours, someone in the UK is paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. It is a life-altering reality that can happen to anyone, at any time. While I am lucky enough to have a body that lets me swim through the waves, many others are fighting just to regain their independence on land.

​Aspire ensures that a spinal injury doesn’t mean the end of a full life. They provide the practical, life-changing support needed to navigate this new reality.

​Your Impact

​Every donation, no matter the size, provides a lifeline:

​£10 helps a patient stay connected with family during those critical first weeks in the hospital.

​£25 contributes toward specialist equipment to help someone return to work.

​£50 helps fund Aspire’s independent living program.

Alexander says,

"​I am proud to swim for Aspire, and with your support, my team and I will give everything we’ve got to reach the French coast in 2026."