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.”