Teenager unfazed by media attention
SHETLAND’s new sports star Erraid Davies returned to the isles on Monday, two weeks after becoming the Commonwealth Games’ youngest ever medal winner.
The 13 year old was joined by her family at the North Mainland pool in Brae, where she told waiting reporters that despite the newly won fame life would go on as normal.
She won the bronze medal in the 100 metres breaststroke para sport finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a new personal best time of 1:21.68 minutes.
However, in order to help finance their daughter’s sporting career parents David and Joyce are seeking to secure sports development funding from British Swimming.
Her father revealed that keeping up with his daughter’s six days a week strict training regime plus travelling to competitions in Scotland and the UK is costing the family more than £10,000 a year.
Coach Lorraine Gifford said she would aim to reduce the pressure on the young athlete, as “everybody expects her to achieve”, and not step up the training but perhaps restructure it a little.
However, in order to build up experience, Erraid will have to travel south roughly twice a month to participate in national and international competitions.
They now hope to receive a positive response to their funding application after Erraid won a silver medal at the Amateur Swimming Association’s championships in Sheffield last week in a time of 1:24.01 minutes.
The family and coach would also like to hear from any potential sponsors willing to support the young athlete.
Suffering from the hip disorder Perthes disease, Erraid has been swimming since she was four in order to strengthen the muscles around the hip.
She is only eligible to swim breaststroke at para sport level: in freestyle, butterfly and backstroke she competes at the mainstream national level in her age group.
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Recalling the moment when she became the focus of the world’s media, Erraid said: “It was a bit weird, I am not really used to it. I think I will be able to cope with whatever comes next, I just take it as it comes.”
Father David says: “We knew she was capable of doing well. The big stage in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games didn’t bother her at all, and it was the excitement of the crowd that gave her a big boost.”
Now back in Shetland nothing will change for Erraid, the family says.
She will continue going to school in Lerwick, then travel by bus to Brae for her training sessions before her father makes a 60 miles round trip to take her home to Skeld.
“She still wants to be the best swimmer she can,” mum Joyce says, and older sisters Morven (17) and Vhairi (16) are adamant that Erraid will continue to be their little sister and nothing else.
Following the Scottish and UK school games next month, the next big event for Erraid to focus on are 2015 swimming World Championships in Glasgow and perhaps, with a little luck, the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
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