Swimmer turned down Love Island to win Commonwealth silver
Scottish swimmer Katie Shanahan rejected a chance to appear on reality show Love Island to focus on her sport, earning a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games.
Katie Shanahan, a 22-year-old swimmer from Glasgow, was offered a spot on the popular reality dating show Love Island last year, but she turned it down to concentrate on her training at the Tollcross swimming centre.
Her decision paid off last Friday when she claimed silver in the 200m breaststroke on the opening night of the Commonwealth Games. Despite her success, Shanahan said she might consider going on the show in the future.
"I'm the biggest Love Island fan ever, I've watched every season," she laughed. "Last year the producers asked me and Abbie Wood if we would be interested in doing it. I couldn't go on though, because of focusing on the swimming, but who knows in the future? I was a bit tempted but the swimming had to come first."
Shanahan was seen fighting back tears after securing her silver medal. Inspired by watching Hannah Miley at the 2014 Games, she hopes her own performance will inspire the next generation.
"I've always said that if I can inspire the next generation of athletes coming through, then my job has been done," she said. "I know after 2014 watching Hannah I felt inspired, and it would be nice to think that maybe there's some younger girls watching the 200m backstroke this time, and maybe they'll get into swimming from it."
Since her medal win, Shanahan has been inundated with messages from well-wishers. "I'm so grateful for the support, and with it being a home Games it feels like that support has been ramped up a bit, which is so nice to experience," she joked.
