Olympic champion swimmer Adam Peaty, who broke his own world record en route to gold in the 100m breaststroke final in Rio last month, doesn’t exactly come across as someone who’s scared of water. Yet, following his remarkable victory, it was revealed that as a child he was so petrified of water that his mum Caroline even struggled to bathe him.
"He used to scream every time he got in the bath," Peaty’s grandmother, Mavis, revealed on morning TV a day after his success in Rio. "When his mum took him to the pool to learn to swim, he used to scream there too – so she had to ask a friend to take him because it broke her heart to see him like that."
FEAR FACTOR
It’s clear that, as a child, Peaty probably belonged to the 2 per cent of people estimated to suffer from aquaphobia – an irrational fear of water.
The condition is particularly harmful for children, as it can prevent them from learning a crucial life skill which will keep them fit and healthy throughout life and potentially get them into sport, and for those living in an environment where there’s a lot of water, not being able to swim could be catastrophic.
"One in five Swedish children can’t swim and a fear of water is one of the prime reasons," says Karin Rosell, head of brand and marketing for energy provider E.ON’s Swedish operations. "For a land which is full of lakes and surrounded by sea, that is one in five too many. As we’re one of the main sponsors of the Swedish Swimming Federation (SSF), it’s a topic close to us and we wanted to do something about it."
After some research and a brainstorming session – together with its creative agency, M&C Saatchi – E.ON wanted to concentrate on the 20 per cent of Swedish children who couldn’t swim, due to their fear of water. The team at Saatchi then suggested the use of virtual reality in order to help make children more comfortable with the idea of water.
PLUNGING IN
To help children overcome their fears, E.ON and Saatchi set out to produce a video to convince them that swimming was a fun and safe activity and there was nothing to worry about. Called The Power of Swimming, the project aims to help children clear that crucial first hurdle – to get them into the pool.
Through E.ON’s sponsorship agreement with the SSF, the project team was able to gain access to a rare resource – famous faces. Three of Sweden’s most successful swimmers - Simon Sjödin, Erik Persson and Jennie Johansson – were recruited, and a video was produced using VR cameras in which the trio virtually guides the viewer into the pool. Once in the pool, the swimmers coach and guide the viewer on breathing and basic swimming techniques – and even encourage them to plunge beneath the surface.
The footage – which has been made available for all iPhone or Android devices – can be viewed using a special headset, into which the user’s smartphone can be slotted, along with earphones. E.ON, which has funded the entire project, has made 4,000 headsets available for free to be distributed to children.
"The headseats can be ordered online," says Christina Sandin, project leader at SSF. "The project is all about getting more young children to enjoy swimming. It is the largest participation project we’ve been involved in for a number of years."
To raise awareness of the availability of the headsets, Saatchi has produced a promotional video, which begins with a group of young children – all with a fear of water sharing their stories. It is very moving to watch them explain how they have suffered due to their phobia. "It makes me sad when my friends go swimming but I can’t," says one.
The power of VR is then demonstrated as each aquaphobic child sits down to try the headset and to view the footage involving the three Olympic stars. The change seems to happen immediately, as they get to ‘experience’ a swimming pool – in virtual form – for the very first time. After initial hesitations, it’s obvious each child warms to the idea and by the end of the video it seems they can’t wait to try the real thing. An opportunity to do just that is then offered, as after their VR experience, the children get to meet the three swimmers in a real pool – and the results which follow are amazing as they take to the water.
The project has been well received not just by parents, but by experts in the field. Swedish psychologist Philip Lindner, from the University of Stockholm, has studied and used virtual reality in treating a number of phobias.
"I think the Power of Swimming project does a good job of showcasing the power and potential of VR technology to improve health and wellbeing," says Lindner. "We know from two decades of research that proper VR exposure therapy is an effective treatment for a number of fears, phobias and anxieties.
"In the case of Power of Swimming, I hope it succeeds in getting people to sign up to swim school.?
"It is an interesting question whether a shorter, try-it-out-yourself experience such as this one can have an impact by providing a safe learning environment for people to do something about their fear so that they can enjoy the benefits of overcoming it."
Whether any of the 4,000 children given the opportunity to rid their fear of water will follow in the wake of Adam Peaty to the Olympic podium remains to be seen – but there is no doubt the pioneering project is changing lives for the better.
