Rhiannon Williams competing at the National Age Groups Synchronised Swimming Championships.
SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING
ISLAND girl Rhiannon Williams is close to fulfilling her dream of swimming for her country, after she made it to the England talent development synchro squad.
The synchronised swimmer, 14, is a pupil of Ryde School and a member of Portsmouth Victoria Synchronised Swimming Club, and Seaclose Swimming Club.
She reached the 16-girl squad after qualifying through the ASA National Age Groups 2009 Synchronised Swimming Championships, held in Gloucester.
She won a silver medal in the girls’ 13 to 14 figures competition — where all competitors must perform the same routine and are judged on technical accuracy — and a bronze in the solo contest.
The solo contest is a free routine, with the marks coupled with those achieved in the figures competition.
She will attend a training camp in February, after which the squad will be whittled down to ten. This final squad will travel to Greece in August for the Comen Cup, an international competition.
Rhiannon, who lives in Carisbrooke, is dedicated to her sport, commuting to Portsmouth five days a week to train, with more than 11 hours a week in the water and five hours a week training on dry land.
Next week she travels to Barcelona to train with a friend who is a member of Spain’s top synchronised swimming club.
Her long-term goal is to gain a sports scholarship at Stanford University, Los Angeles, where they specialise in the sport.
If her form continues as it is, she could make the Great Britain squad for the 2016 Olympics.
Her father, David, said: "She just missed out on the squad last year, and was determined to make it this year. We are all really proud of her."
David thanked her coaches on the Island and the mainland for helping with her stamina, flexibility and core-stability, and Gillian Cartwright for helping with her ballet.
Reporter: sport@iwcpmail.co.uk