Former Linton Village College pupil Angharad Evans, from Little Abington, near Haverhill, describes Team GB Olympic call-up as an unforgettable moment
After an anxious wait for news, West Suffolk Swimming Club (WSSC) member Angharad Evans said the feeling on being told she had made it into the Team GB squad for her first Olympic Games was a moment she will cherish for the rest of her life.
The athlete from Little Abington, near Haverhill, finally learnt she would represent her country in Paris after she received an email while on holiday in Majorca last Thursday.
There was doubt as to whether the 20-year-old would make the cut however, after she won the 100m breaststroke final at the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships earlier this month, but fell just short of the Olympic nomination time.
Evans admitted it was ‘gutting’, as she had achieved that time before, including on the day of the final, but - after an anxious four-day wait - her spot in the squad was confirmed and she will travel to the French capital for the Games which are due to start in just under 100 days’ time.
“It’s always been a goal of mine but knowing I’m going to be able to call myself an Olympian, I’m over the moon,” she told Suffolk News.
“It was definitely a shock. I was happy with my performance (in the final) but now I’m ready to get cracking, training and seeing what I can do in Paris.
“After the event I was upset, but I knew there were still discretionary spots on the team and because I had hit the time multiple times before, I had put myself in a good position.
“I knew I had a good chance but until you get that email, you know your heart is racing and you’re going to be very nervous because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“It was definitely worth it, that moment is something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Evans, who retains her membership with WSSC but now competes for University of Stirling, described her time competing for her local club as a ‘big part’ of her journey. Under their banner was where she first gained senior recognition, with a bronze medal at the 2019 British Summer Championships.
The swimmer who used to regularly train in Haverhill, then began her university career in the United States at the University of Georgia’s Athens campus before she moved to the Scottish swimming stronghold of Stirling, a switch that has led her to her first Olympic Games.
The former Linton Village College pupil is one of seven Stirling representatives in the Team GB swimming cohort.
Evans admitted knowing people who are in the squad will make joining up with the team less nerve-racking and is looking forward to working with experienced swimmers such as Duncan Scott - who will embark on his third Olympic Games - and world-record-holder Kathleen Dawson.
“I’m surrounded by so many talented athletes that it’s kind of the norm here (in Stirling), but sometimes I do sit down and think ‘wow, that is such an achievement’. I’m very fortunate for the people I’m surrounded by and the coaches I have,” she said.
“I’m in such a healthy environment and everyone is genuinely happy for each other. It’s nice going into the competition with so many familiar faces.”
When asked how the next 100 days will look, Evans responded: “Very intense. I remember them saying ‘it’s 100 days until trials’ and that just flew by. That was a very intense training block and that can determine a lot leading into it.
“I’m having a few days off and then it’s going to be very hard training, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“This is the fun part, we’re all motivated, we all want to do well and having that group to train with, knowing we’re all going to be there, is very good.”
