A TEENAGER from Barnsley has been selected for the England swimming squad for this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
Gabrielle Idle-Beavers, from Darton, will join Olympians such as Adam Ramsay-Peaty at the event in Glasgow in July and August.
Gabrielle, who turned 18 last week, started swimming with local club Borough of Barnsley then moved to specialist sports college Mount Kelly College in Tavistock, Devon when she was in year nine.
The breaststroke swimmer, last month, took silver in the 100m at the English Championships and bronze over 50m.
Gabrielle – who has been signed to compete and study at the University of Kentucky – is expected to race for England in the individual breaststroke events plus the relay.
She is also due to compete in the European Junior Championships in July in Munich.
Her mother Nicky told the Chronicle: “We’re totally amazed.
“All the hard work has paid off.
“She’s enjoyed the journey and is looking forward to what is to come.
“I don’t think competing at big events like the Commonwealth Games or Olympics were really in her head until the last 12 months but now they are.”
Meanwhile, a team of 15 Borough of Barnsley swimmers competed over three weekends at the Swim England North East Regional Championships in both Leeds and Sunderland.
Alexander Matze won three bronzes, Reece Thompson one and Olivia Byrne broke the club record in the 1500m freestyle with a 21-second personal best.
Also competing were Daniel Riley, Harry Austin, Oliver Austin, Louie Ennis, Joshua Guy, Oscar Buckley, Aiden Driver, Millie Herbert, Charlotte Greaves, Poppy Pearson, Millie Northrop and Roman Wallace.
