For one of our young competitors in this year’s British Transplant Games, the event was just one of the fixtures on her sporting calendar.
Sixteen year- old Ava was born with the rare liver condition, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. She learned to swim when she was a baby and always enjoyed it, even prior to her liver transplant at the age of five.
“Although Ava always loved swimming, prior to her transplant she was often too poorly to take part,” says her mum, Caroline. “It still brought great benefits though. When she was little, Ava was completely gastrostomy fed and the exercise helped her appetite improve. As she’s grown up it’s given her some great friendships, focus, independence, and ability to receive direction from her coaches.”
A member of the Borough of Kirklees Swimming Club, Ava trains in the pool six days a week as well as land training and gym work. She has also completely her level 1 teaching assistant so, as well as doing her own training, helps with swimming lessons.
Her hard work is paying off, however. Last year, she was selected for the World Transplant Games in Perth, Australia, where she won four individual golds, and one silver, as well as gold in the freestyle relay (setting a new world record) and silver in the medley relay.
In July this year Ava took part in the European Transplant Games in Lisbon where, due to the lack of juniors, she competed in the 18 – 29 year old age group. This didn’t stop her taking home five individual and two team gold medals! And in Nottingham this summer she won gold in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, and 100m freestyle. She was also delighted to be part of the Leeds winning relay team.
It is her Leeds team mates who have awarded Ava the Joel Cup, both for her performances in swimming but also for promoting what transplant athletes can do within Swim England and for supporting others. She was in the hotel pool, giving advice to her team mates, the day before the British Transplant Games swimming events.
And although Ava is delighted to receive the awards, like any athlete, she’s firmly focussed on the next challenge. “I’d really like to improve on my times as I’m hoping for selection for the World Transplant Games in Dresden in 2025″ she says. “Swimming has helped me to keep focussed and healthy following my transplant so I’m really keen to raise awareness of transplant swimming in the swimming community and ultimately recognition within Swim England.”
