A swimming star from Leeds has been selected for a new talent programme to help young swimmers reach the highest level of their sport.
Leah Schlosshan, 13, a pupil at Bradford Grammar School (BGS) qualified for the English National Swimming Championships and has now been chosen for the Swim England Talent Programme.
The programme supports talented young swimmers through the creation of a network of new swimming performance centres that link swimming clubs and universities. Launched by Swim England it supports the development of young swimmers both in the pool and academically.
Leah won gold in the 200m medley in the English National Championships and silver in the 400m medley. She is hoping to qualify for the British Championships next March in Glasgow and also the British Nationals in the summer.
She said: “I love the social side of swimming and meeting new people at competitions. Training hard and achieving good results gives me a real feeling of accomplishment. I’d love to represent Great Britain internationally and my dream is to progress year on year.
“BGS really supports me with my passion, and the teachers balance my games lessons with academic studies so I’m extremely lucky in that sense. I have to leave 30 minutes early every day for training, and occasionally miss some schoolwork, so the teachers organise for me to do this in my spare time. I find them extremely approachable if I’m struggling with anything that I’ve missed.”
BGS, which counts Olympic medallists and Team GB members among its prestigious alumni, is undergoing a £4m investment in its sports facilities. It has also brought in several new sports names as part of the redevelopment, with a wealth of experience, from ex professionals and internationals to national league and age group international athletes who have represented Team GB.
BGS Specialist Sports Swimming Coach, Craig Robinson, said: “Leah is the epitome of our school motto Hoc Age. She takes everything in her stride, and quietly gets on, always working hard in the background. She is a pleasure to watch and is consistently excellent.
“We believe that if you lay the right foundations for sport, it creates stronger athletes. It’s why it’s important for our pupils to focus on developing key skills, which are transferable, such as using the Performance Gym and experiencing a range of different sports. The right foundations provide solid grounding for longer sporting careers. We’re very proud of Leah and we look forward to watching her swimming career flourish.”
“I love the social side of swimming and meeting new people at competitions. Training hard and achieving good results gives me a real feeling of accomplishment. I’d love to represent Great Britain internationally and my dream is to progress year on year.
BGS really supports me with my passion, and the teachers balance my games lessons with academic studies so I’m extremely lucky in that sense.”
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