Brit swimmer Marco Loughran upset by 'cowardly' attack in Denmark

Marco Loughran

British Olympic swimmer Marco Loughran has spoken of the "cowardly" road rage attack which saw him hospitalised in Denmark.


Marco Loughran

Loughran, was a passenger in a car driven by his girlfriend Jeanette Ottesen, Denmark's world and European butterfly champion, in the Copenhagen incident on Sunday.

Loughran said he needed treatment to cuts on his eyebrow and head, sustained four chipped teeth and suffered damage to his ear and shoulder in the attack, while Ottesen broke one finger and sprained another to leave her facing a fitness fight ahead of next month's World Championships in Russia.

Loughran said the couple's problems began when their attacker, who was driving a van, felt Ottesen had pulled off through a green light too slowly and began honking his horn.

"He drove up alongside us and looked into the car before skidding in front of us. We had to brake and there was no way we could get out.

"He came up to the car and started screaming for my girlfriend to get out, taunting and threatening, but I got out of the car and told him we didn't want any trouble.

"He gave me a hammer kick to the chest and I punched him to the head, I told him to get back in the car and said 'look, no more'."

Loughran said the man, who was accompanied in his car by a young boy, then drove off. It was then the incident took a more violent turn as he was attacked through the window of the vehicle.

"Jeanette saw a man in the mirror coming up to the car and thought it was someone going to help us, but this guy just started hailing punches at me through the window," Loughran said.