CHRISTCHURCH Seagulls’ disability swimmer Alice Tai returned from Sheffield’s Ponds Forge pool laden with medals after making her mark at the DSE junior national championships.
The 12-year-old England Talent Squad member won silver in the S9 category 100m and 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke and the SM9 100m individual medley and bronze in the S9 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke.
Her coach at Christchurch, Adam Parfitt, said: “Several of her times were PBs and rank her as one of the fastest S9 swimmers in her age group in Britain.”
Tai, who is tipped to make her international debut later this year, was born with a severe club-foot deformity and has endured six operations on one foot and five on the other.
She cannot run, jump or skip and she originally started swimming with Seagulls for rehabilitation.
Despite her disability, the Bournemouth School for Girls pupil has competed to county championship level in able-bodied swimming and also plays water polo for Seagulls.
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