A YOUNG athlete is making a splash at the highest level after joining the England kayak squad.
Barnard Castle School girl Carys Grey-Thompson has been ranked 5th in the country for her age after becoming part of the U14 development squad and will compete in the Pan-Celtic Cup between the home countries in October.
The 14-year-old, of Eaglescliffe, has been competing for the past four years and is a member of Tees Tigers, a club based at Tees Barrage, Stockton, and is part of the Tees Active Sports Academy.
Fast becoming a white water expert, she is honing her skills at a host of competitions around the country, supported by her mother, Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and has already tackled the rigorous kayak course built for the London Olympics.
“I really enjoy it,” the Year 9 student said. “It looks scary when you are watching but you soon get used to it.
“In my last race, in Scotland, I was quickest down the course but hit two gates and was penalised, then I went clear but wasn’t quick enough. The trick is to get the balance right.”
Currently a Division 1 competitor, she is striving for promotion to the Premier League, hopes one day to compete at a future Olympics and has already moved her bib number up from 37last year to five.
Carys will next compete nationally on May 21 at a competition in Nottingham.
