Olympic dream takes priority for former Grantham KGGS student Freya Colbert
Former Grantham and Kesteven Girls' School student Freya Colbert has no regrets over missing her school prom to chase the Olympic dream.
One of the brightest rising stars in British swimming, the 19-year-old skipped last year's A-Level results day to represent her country at the 2022 World Championships.
During a summer that most of her peers probably spent chugging cider at music festivals, Freya used it to earn her spurs as a senior swimmer, ending up as a European champion.
“I missed out on a lot at school, I left a month or two early,” said Freya, who trains in Loughborough at the British Swimming Performance Centre.
“I only ended up sitting about half of my A-Level exams as they clashed with the World Championships.
“I was only in school when I absolutely had to be, I was always in and out. Sometimes I’d see some of my friends in the common room and they’d be like, ‘oh, you’re here!’ in surprise.
“There’s a little bit of – not regret – but I know I haven’t had the same experiences and I’ve drifted away from friends I was close with at school, just because of swimming.
“I know that’s something I had to sacrifice and I wouldn’t change how it went.”
It takes some athletes years before they see a global championship medal.
Freya came away with four from her first year on the British senior squad.
She took home a full set from the European Championships, with relay gold and silver and 400m individual medley bronze, as well as bronze from a home Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
It was a crucial transition year from junior hopeful with Nova Centurions in Nottingham to senior star, now training and aiming for the Paris Olympics 2024.
“Medals make everything worth it,” said Freya. “It’s amazing what a medal can do, irrespective of the rest of your life.
“The [2022] summer really changed my confidence levels and my outlook on swimming. Before that, I didn’t know whether I’d make it in the sport. The jump up from junior can be so difficult.
“I didn’t really know if I had a shot of going to the Olympics but now I know I should be in the mix and I should be qualifying.”
The road to Paris 2024 continues for Freya at the British Swimming Championships this week, the flagship domestic swimming event held at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge from Tuesday until Sunday.
The meet will play a key role in the selection process for July's World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Freya said: "There's a sense of familiarity because it's an event I’ve always done while coming through the ranks.
“But it’s also new because it’s the first time I’ll be one to look out for and expected to win events, whereas before I was always the underdog.
“I know I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been, so I’m really excited to see what I can do.”
l Tickets are still available for the British Swimming Championships in Sheffield (ends on Sunday). Head over to britishswimming.org/events-and-tickets for more information – or watch all the action from every session on the British Swimming YouTube channel.
