TRIPLE gold medal winner Tom Dean has revealed the gruelling Strictly regime is like training for the Olympic Games except he is way out of his comfort zone.
The 24-year-old freestyle swimmer was expecting the tough physical challenge, with long hours, early starts and strict nutrition, but says the mental toll has shocked him the most.
Just a couple of weeks into rehearsals with dance partner Nadiya Bychkvoa, 35, Tom says: "It feels like I'm back in that lead-up to Paris." Tom, an MBE, admits: "We're working hard.
We're both sportspeople, we know what it's like to do a tough day of training, so I do think being an athlete helps. So it feels like I'm back in the pool training, but on land this time. But it's the mental challenge I find really hard.
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