A sporty Herefordshire teenager will be supporting a former Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer when she soon makes a splash.

Sixteen-year-old Caitlin Livingston, who lives in Whitchurch, near Ross-on-Wye, will be working alongside the ex-Great Britain swimmer, Thomas Paul Haffield. This is a great achievement for the student, who is very excited to be supporting the well-known swimmer.

Thomas is a Welsh competitive swimmer who is best known for his participation in the individual medley events. He has represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games, and also Wales in the Commonwealth Games. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he competed in the preliminary heats of the 400-metre individual medley swimming event, finishing with the 17th-best time overall.

Soon to be supporting him, Caitlin, who is a Year 12 student at Monmouth School for Girls, is one of four volunteer coaches who will be gaining the valuable experience. They are all looking forward to this journey.

Thomas said: “Swimming is an important life skill.” He will be working with children from Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery and Monmouth School Boys’ Prep.

“We will be running learn-to-swim lessons with the younger children and an after-school swim club with the older children to try to build a more competitive swim programme.”

The new partnership has been forged by Mrs Jennie Phillips, a keen swimmer and Headmistress at Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery. 

The new classes begin in January, 2019 and will take place in the pool at Monmouth School for Girls.

Thomas made his major event debut at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

After retiring from competitive swimming in 2014, Mr Haffield set up a learn-to-swim programme at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

Thomas said: “It’s important to have senior children on board to help with the coaching and I believe we can build something very special.”See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.