A PROMISING young swimmer has bounced back from a year of illness and injury to gain selection for the national water polo squad.

Angie Winstanley-Smith, 16, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has won a place in Great Britain's under-19 water polo team.

The teenager, a first year student at Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, is bound for Portugal to compete for the team in the European Championships at the end of July.

Everything had looked so promising for Angie after she was named in the elite gold group for Olympic preparation, but then the problems started.

Last year's North-East Young Sportsperson of the Year, Angie was delighted to get back into the national side after the trials in France.

She said: "I was nervous because I had been the top player in the team when I had to stop because of my health, but I wasn't sure if I'd fit into the new team structure. I was a bit relieved to be selected, but really happy as well.

"Everything was going brilliantly until about this time last year when I hurt my arm and my shoulder and I was just getting back into it when I got meningitis, which knocked me back down again."

Angie, who swims for the Sedgefield 75 club, is now getting back into full training and her times are similar to before her problems started.

She added: "I'm still there or thereabouts, it's more psychological. I kept on thinking where I would be now if I hadn't been injured, but I've got to stop feeling sorry for myself."

Angie has her sights set on a medal in the British championships and aims to get back into the Olympic preparation group.