Molly James swims for Trafford Metro, one of British masters swimming’s most decorated clubs, and leads a performance swim squad in Cheshire. A European medallist and four-time world medallist, she is also a British record holder. The European Aquatics Masters Championships in Slovakia this summer will be her second Europeans, and she heads there having stepped up to a new age group.
James is not just an athlete within the sport, she is actively trying to grow it. As a full-time coach, she is in the rare position of training alongside the athletes she guides, and she shed some light on what that means for her.
“My ambition is to continuously try to inspire the younger generation, being a role model and showing the desire to succeed alongside working full time,” she says. “As a coach still being a swimmer, it helps to make the coach/swimmer relationship more relatable. They know I am still training hard and eager to succeed in the same way they are.”
James initially swam until she was 16, before burning out under the training methods of her youth. “I fell out of love with the sport,” she says. University brought her back into aquatics through water polo and social swimming. Then, at 22, a friend persuaded her to enter a local masters gala, just to see what would happen. She got the buzz for it immediately.
What followed was a steady progression through local meets and UK Masters nationals, building towards some of the most memorable days of her career. Three relay bronze medals at the World Masters Championships in Doha in 2024 stand out above everything else. “Relays are more enjoyable than individuals. I love the team aspect and feel so at ease racing with my friends. I loved every second of relay day in Doha and it’s probably been one of the best days of my entire life.”
She hasn’t had the moment, she says, where stopping felt like a real option. “I want to continue to keep inspiring and be a leader and role model to my younger swimmers.”
This summer’s European Aquatics Masters Championships carry personal significance that goes beyond the competition itself. James hasn’t raced at a European Championships since Rome in 2022, and she is stepping into a new age group this time around. There is also a relay reunion to look forward to. She has stayed in touch with two German swimmers she medalled alongside in the 400 individual medley in Rome, and is looking forward to seeing them again in Slovakia.
Then there’s her mother, who will be watching her compete abroad for the first time. “I hope to make her and my whole family proud.”
Her individual goal is straightforward. “I’d really like to get near to my lifetime PB on the 200 Butterfly, or perhaps even under it.” But she keeps the bigger picture in view. “The biggest success will be enjoying the experience, making new friends and swimming well.”
As for how long she sees herself competing, she looks to the older generation of Trafford Metro swimmers for her answer. “I see my older teammates who are an absolute inspiration for me, and I aim to keep pushing my limits.” She points to clubmate Neil MacKinnon, an 85–89 year-old world record holder at Trafford, as the kind of example that makes a finish line seem beside the point.
To anyone her age thinking competitive swimming might be behind them, her message is clear: “Just try. Masters swimming is so different to swimming as a child. The freedom, the social aspect and the life-changing opportunities it gives you are phenomenal. I have friends from all over the world now that I’ve met through these competitions. I love swimming more now than I ever did during my childhood career.”
The European Aquatics Masters Championships Samorin-Bratislava-Graz 2026 takes place from 18–30 August.
Click here for full details, including how to register.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
