An aspiring Olympian who thought she’d never compete again has qualified for the British Swimming Championships.
Nineteen-year-old Eliza Pinkstone, who is from Bramhall and a member of Stockport Metro Swimming club, spent six months out of the pool when she injured her knee.
Now, less than a year later, she’s qualified for the Aquatics GB Summer in Sheffield where she is hoping to prove that her injury is behind her.
Eliza, from Bramhall, was on track for achieving her dreams after winning an English National title for Butterfly and qualifying for Olympic try outs. But the muscle in her knee suddenly tore during a competition, developing a large cyst and resulting in 18 long months of repair and recovery.
She said: “I really thought my swimming career was over. It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. I couldn’t swim. I had to wait three months for surgery and then it took three months to recover.
“Once I did get back in the pool it was like I was back to square one – I was so much slower and it felt like I’d never be good enough to compete again at the same level.”
After 12 months of hard training Eliza is back up to speed, qualifying for Olympic trials in April and the British Swimming Championships, which take place from July 20th.
Eliza, who is an interior design student at Manchester Met Uni, said: “It’s been a really tough year and I never thought I’d be here, so I’m not putting pressure on myself, but I’d love to get some PBs and reach the finals. I like all the strokes but butterfly is the one I’m best at!”
Eliza, who is a former student at Stockport Grammar and Aquinas College, has been swimming with Stockport Metro since she was nine-years-old.
She juggles her university studies with training seven times a week, waking up at 4.30am for morning training.
She said: “I’d love to become a medallist at British Summer Championships – that would be amazing – but it’s also about just enjoying myself. I love the racing, but I also enjoy the social side too. It’s been a huge part of my life for such a long time I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!”
Rick Hall, who is Head of Performance swimming at Life Leisure, said: “Eliza has had a really tough year, but to come back and qualify for Olympic Trials and the British Swimming Championships less than a year later is just remarkable.”
Eliza will be one of 25 swimmers and four relay teams taking to the pool in Sheffield with Stockport Metro at the weekend.
