12:00pm Friday 20th August 2010
By James Williams
TEENAGE Melksham swimmer Rachel Williams says representing Wales in the Commonwealth Games would be the biggest achievement of her short career.
The 16-year-old, who competes in the backstroke and individual medley, is currently at the ASA National Championships in Sunderland which are also trials for October’s Delhi Games.
A place in the Wales squad would wrap up a fantastic year for the Corsham School pupil, who competed in the European Juniors in Prague last summer and won a silver medal in the 400m individual medley at the Berlin Open Championships in March.
The teenager, who was eighth in the 200m individual medley final in Sunderland yesterday, is currently waiting for her GCSE results but hopes to get the grades to stay on at sixth form.
She said: “I’ve got a 50-50 chance to make the games. The qualifying times are really tough.
“It would be amazing to represent Wales. It would definitely be the biggest achievement of my life. Hopefully I can make it.”
Williams, who swims at the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre at the University of Bath and is a member of Trowbridge ASC, qualifies for Wales through her Welsh father, Alan.
“My grandparents moved to Wiltshire when my dad was young,” she said. “It’s always meant a lot to him for me to represent Wales and I’d be really proud should I get there.”
Williams, whose brother, David, 15, also swims for Trowbridge ASC, has been swimming since she was three and competitively since she was nine.
“My mum and dad got me in for little swimming lessons when I was three because they wanted me to be safe in the water. I loved it so much they let me carry it on.”
The 16-year-old, who trains 10 times a week, has also been called up to represent the south of England in the 2010 Sainsbury’s UK School Games back in Sunderland between September 2-5.
She said: “I have friends who attended the Games in previous years and they have all told me how enjoyable the event is.
“I am really looking forward to the event and swimming against friends. It will be a new experience but I am hoping to make a podium place.”
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