City of Chester Swimming Club member Emily Noden is to  undertake a 2,000-mile journey by plane and train after  being selected to represent Great Britain at the European  Deaf Championships in Russia.

Emily, 17, a former Queen’s School student, will head out to  Russia next Thursday (June 19) before beginning competition on Sunday, June 22, when she will be competing in  nine individual and three relay events.

Having appeared at one Deaflympics, Emily’s appearance  at the competition in the host city of Saransk will be her  second at a Deaf World Championships, with the teenager,  who lives in Lloc, Flintshire, in with a good chance of  returning clutching a medal.

Emily, who attends Deeside College, Connah’s Quay, will  be joined on the trip by City of Chester Swimming Club junior  coach Sam Chamberlain, from Buckley, himself a former GB  Deaf swimmer who has performed at European, World and  Deaflympic level.

However, the journey to Saransk will be an arduous one,  with the pair flying from London to Moscow before embarking  on a nine-hour, 380-mile train overnight journey to their  destination city.

Club head coach Mike Price said: “We’re very proud to have  Emily and Sam on the GB Deaf Team going to Russia.

“Over many years both of them have put hours into  swimming training, and now Sam with his coaching.”

Both Mike and club assistant coach Stewart Clamp have  been mentoring Sam over the last two years, with the pair  hoping for success for their proteges out in Russia.

Mike added: “This is a remarkable achievement for the club  as, since April 2013, the City Baths in Chester which we use  as our base has been shut for renovations and the work is  still ongoing.

“Emily as well as other swimmers in her group has had to  travel to train in Stockport, Buckley, Connah’s Quay, and  Rhosnesni High School in Wrexham as well as having some  training in the University of Chester pool.

“To be able to put a swimmer on the programme who has a  realistic chance of medalling is a fantastic achievement to all  coaches at the City of Chester Swimming Club at this hard  time, as well as the parents for all the extra time, travel and  cost the closure has caused.”