A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl has scooped a trophy by swimming a length of a swimming pool unaided.
Elodie-Paige MacArthur, who has visited the public pool in Bedale four times a week since she was six weeks old, used her front crawl stroke to swim a length of Thirsk Leisure Centre’s pool in the Kirsten Trophy contest.
Thirsk White Horse Swim Team, which runs the annual competition, said at three years and five months Elodie-Paige could be the youngest to win the competition since it was launched in 1972.
The competition to find the youngest swimmer in Hambleton district who can swim 25 metres unaided, aims to raise awareness of swimming and promote the importance of learning to swim at the earliest possible age.
Elodie-Paige’s mother, Tracy, said her daughter loves swimming and has completed 75 metres unaided.
She said: “I swam for the county when I was younger and I am hoping she will as well.”
Councillor Peter Wilkinson, Hambleton District Council cabinet member for health, said: "Elodie-Paige has proven age isn’t an excuse not to give things a go - and the smile at the end proves the effort was worthwhile!"
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