Team GB’s Hector Pardoe forced to retire after taking brutal elbow to the eye

Olympic swimmer Hector Pardoe was forced to retire from his race after taking a brutal elbow to the eye.

During his final lap of the gruelling 10km marathon race, the 20-year-old was caught off guard by a fellow swimmer.

Moments after his debut Olympic race the Wrexham-born swimmer was left with a deep purple, swollen and cut eye.

“On the last lap I took an elbow to the face, I thought I’d lost the eye,” Pardoe said.

"My goggle completely snapped off and I couldn’t see a thing.”

Medics checked over the Team GB swimmer who reassured him that the eye was ok.