Dedication, determination and motivation. All important aspects of an aspiring athlete. Many have the dream to make it big in the sporting world, only a few succeed .

The journey of a swimmer is often overlooked. From early morning pool sessions to tough gym sessions. This lifestyle is not for the average person. Tamryn van Selm, 17, from Bromley has the goal of becoming a professional swimmer. Her humble and diligent character has led to a range of achievements assisting in the race to the top. The young swimmer’s proudest achievement : “winning a European gold medal as part of the women’s 4×200 metre freestyle relay at the 2021 European championships” shows the long commitment undertaken to reach this level. The competition was her first representing Great Britain at senior international level and took her to Hungary. This astonishing moment does not come easy and Tamryn shared her 20 hour training schedule to highlight its demands.

Mentioning how “maintaining the same motivation and dedication everyday” is the most difficult factor of the sport. Despite this her positivity over throws any barriers and she finds support through teammates and coaches in the “fun and uplifting” training environment. Most recently representing Millfield school since June 2020, her previous clubs include Orpington Ojays and Bromley Swimming Club. From local scale to GB representation, Tamryn’s attitude to swimming remains consistent and admirable.

As a teenage girl, her goals enable her to focus on the sport without getting distracted. Such things include achieving personal bests and a “Commonwealth qualification time”. These allow her to efficiently manage her time and balance swimming, school and personal life. Ensuring she stays productive with work means she has a smaller chance of becoming over whelmed.

Her eight pool sessions in a week would be alien to many young girls but Tamryn has always been strongly devoted to getting to where she is and continuing to become even more successful. Not only is her love for the water clear, her family orientated values show the kind hearted and thoughtful personality she has. Through all the difficult aspects of her sport, there is always time and energy for friends and family. This young talent is an inspiration for many others and a strong representative for Bromley, London and Great Britain.