CLASSY Katie Rilett-Young struck double gold at the National Junior and Youth Disability Championships.
The 13-year-old won both the 50m and 100m freestyle finals just four months after joining Burnley Bobcats Swimming Club.
The Burnley teenager also helped the North West team to a bronze medal in the relay at the championships held at Ponds Forge, in Sheffield.
Now she is hoping to compete in the World Dwarf Games in Michigan, USA but is looking for funding to help her take part.
Club coach Michael Robinson puts Katie’s success down to hard work and dedication.
“Katie has only been training with Bobcats for four months, but in that short time, she has demonstrated her commitment to swimming by training with dedication and determination,” said Robinson. “Her massive improvement is the result of this.
“Katie has great potential for the future, and it is fantastic to see her efforts paying off.”
Katie underlined that potential by swimming three personal bests.
She competed in the age 14-16 years, in her disability category S6 for freestyle and SB6 for breaststroke.
In the 100m Freestyle, she swam a massive pb to win gold medal and repeated feat with another gold and pb in the 50m freestyle.
She was then chosen to represent the North West at the end of the weekend and helped he region win bronze in the relay.
Katie is registered with British Swimming as an S6 swimmer.
She has been training with Burnley Bobcats since early December, and now trains four to five times a week with the squad at the St Peters Centre, Burnley and attends Long Course training with the squad in Manchester.
In August 2013, Katie aims to attend the World Dwarf Games, which are being held in Michigan, USA. Elite dwarf athletes from every continent will vie for medals and 500 competitors are expected to wear their country’s colours at this international competition, which like the Olympic Games only takes place every four years.
Any group or organization that can help sponsor Katie on her trip to Michigan, USA can contact her via the Bobcats website www.burnleybobcats.org.uk
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