A LOOE school teacher has braved near-freezing water in Italy to claim two medals and break a British record at one of the toughest sporting events in the world.

Sam Day, assistant headteacher at Looe Community Academy, recently competed at the IISA 2nd European Open Championships in an open-air Olympic pool in Molveno, where water temperatures were just 1.4 degrees.

Facing over 500 swimmers from 32 countries at the championships, organised by the International Ice Swimming Association, Sam secured silver and bronze medals in her age group and set a new British record in the 50m backstroke.

“It’s scary as hell,” she said. “But it’s also exhilarating. It’s mind-blowing where your head has to go. Your body and your mind have to completely align for you to work that hard in that temperature.”

Ice swimming is regarded as one of the most extreme endurance sports on the planet. Competitors are allowed only a standard swimming costume, hat, goggles and a safety belt.

“There’s no diving, no tumble turns. You’re given about four seconds to get in and then you race,” Sam explained. “There was snow on the poolside. When you get out, you can’t feel your fingers to even take your costume off.”

However, her European success marks an extraordinary turnaround. In February 2023, Sam suffered a freak accident at home that left her fighting for her life. A severe throat injury caused her airway to close through swelling and she was placed into a coma in intensive care for four days.

“My children were told I may not come home,” she said.

Doctors warned her recovery would take time. At that point, competitive sport seemed impossible. But a year later, Sam entered her first ice swimming event and stunned the field by winning gold in the 50m backstroke, becoming GB champion.

“They said, ‘Sam, slow down, you can’t even talk properly yet,’” she recalled. “But I just thought, I’ve got to try this. It’s amazing.”

Within months she was selected to represent Team GB at the World Championships, winning silver and bronze in her age group. Now she has added a British record to her list of achievements.

Training is relentless, however. Sam rises at 5am for strength and mobility sessions, trains three times a week in the pool and regularly swims in quarries, on the moors and in the sea.

“I love the quarries – the colder the better,” she said. “We’ve got an ice bath in the garden. I have to break the ice before I get in. It’s a great way to wake up.”

Balancing elite sport with leading a school of more than 500 pupils – and raising two children – requires careful planning and strong support.

“My husband Mark organises everything. Without him, this wouldn’t happen,” she said.

Her students, though, are fascinated.

“They think Mrs Day’s a little bit barmy – and they’re probably right,” she laughed. “But I want them to see that resilience can turn adversity into achievement.”

Next on her list is the ultimate test – a 1,000m event later this year in Scotland.