A TEENAGE swimmer identified as a potential future Olympian has won the support of senior citizens who are keen to see her achieve her sporting ambitions.

Elisha McCrory has already built up an impressive medal collection and recently competed in the School Games at the Olympic Park in London, where she won the 400m Girls’ Freestyle class.

After hearing about the 14-year-old’s dream to one day compete at the Olympics, a group of sheltered housing residents decided to raise money to donate towards her training costs.

They invited Elisha to attend their own sporting event – an annual tournament day organised by their landlord Derwentside Homes – where they presented her with a cheque for £833.

Bill Hope, 65, of Towneley Court, in Stanley, who was the driving force behind the event held for the second time this year, said: “We heard about Elisha and her success so far and her ambition to get right to the top of her sport and thought it would be nice if we could do a little bit of fundraising to help her on her way.”

The money was raised by tenants from Magdalene Court, in Medomsley, Derwentdale Court, in Blackhill, Delight Court, in Dipton, Oakwood Court, in Catchgate and Towneley Court and Stanley Court, both in Stanley, through coffee mornings, raffles and cake sales.

Elisha, who is a pupil at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Lanchester, said: “I am really grateful and amazed at the amount raised. “This will be a great help in sending me to training camps for the Commonwealth Competitions and help towards me meeting my dream of swimming at the Olympics at Brazil in 2016.”

Towneley Court were the overall winners of this year’s tournament.