Local resident Anjelea Padayachy has now done it again being selected into the Great Britain team after selection into the U17’s National academy program late last year shy of her 13th birthday, she has made an incredible achievement becoming the youngest on the U18’s squad after just turning 14 this October. The squad are set to compete in the European’s with Anjelea hopeful to compete abroad for the first time.

Anjelea, who represents the reigning U16’s inter-regional champions South East, took the last penalty in the finals against a strong South West side, which won them the game meaning South East took gold for the second time in two years. In December 2022 at U15’s NAGs (National age group), she was one of the best goal scorers in her team with her bagging some goals in the final against Manchester with Beckenham the underdogs entering for the first time taking silver.

She first started at 9 when she discovered her swim club had a water polo team, playing her first game in U12’s London League. Being waterpolo mad ever since. After her first debut Anjelea’s love for water polo was taken to heights she could have only dreamed of and has competed in over 30 games, representing different clubs, regions and counties at such a young age, all being fortunate to have her on their squads. Now competing for South East and Worthing means she is lucky enough to have Alistar Roberts (Coach of the year 2023) teaching her the skills needed to take her game to the next level. She has dreams to go to Trinity school, Shirley for sixth form with Sean King (former Olympian and Director of Sport), her previous coach who she owes most of her success to.

When asked about how she feels about her achievements she commented,” Amazing. I cannot believe my dream has become my reality. It feels unreal, all the hard work that has been put into this sport has come out with an outcome and to me that is the best reward possible. I want to thank my mum for the time and effort she put into me and my dream, putting hers on hold for the near future and the dedication she has had to taking me to training and funding my accomplishments. Being a single mother could not have been easy for her but she has turned it into a positive giving me the best life I could have possibly asked for”.

Anjelea’s high level in sport means she trains everyday extensively, swimming 4 times a week and water polo 3 times a week, competing all over the country with camps taking place in Coventry, Watford, Bolton, Birmingham and is flying to Scotland for a game. Water polo is not a funded sport with not many sponsors meaning the parents have to fund it all from the coaches accommodation and journeys over to their own accommodation and travel needs meaning the sport is very expensive to compete in.