Ludlow Swimming Club

More about...

Fern Davies

When and where were you born?
18th of May 1992 in Worcester.

Where do you live and have you always lived there?
I live in Little Hereford and have done for most of my life.

Which school/college do you go to and what do you think of it?
I went to Wigmore School and i was very fortunate that they were fully supportive of my swimming and let me have a lesson off at the end of the day so i could travel to Birmingham training. I'm now at Ludlow College in my first year, it's hard to fit in all of the work around swimming but again they've been very supportive and the social aspect is uplifting.

Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, are they involved in any sport?
I have two sisters, Holly (18) and Lark (14). Holly played county netball, hockey, swimming and many other sports, she now works as a lifeguard at Ludlow, Lark has played county netball, rugby and swimming and also enjoys sports at school such as volleyball and hockey.

		Apart from swimming, what other sports do you enjoy?
		I love all sports really, i used to play county netball, cricket, ran cross country and athletics. I have the post run cross country records at school and the 800m running.

		What do you do to relax?
		I relax by watching the occasional hour of TV and listening to music.

If you could go on holiday anywhere you like, where would you go, what would you do?

I've pretty much travelled the world with swimming, however you don't often actually see much of the place you visit. I've never been to Africa so that might be nice. I also love Australia and the beaches, surfing and scuba diving would be fun!

Could you describe a typical day in your life?

I stay the night at my nan's house in Birmingham, get up at 3.45 and go training in Handsworth for 4.30 then 10 minutes of stretching and skipping before i get in at 4.45. I swim until 6.40 and then drive back to Ludlow to go to college. I finish college at 2.40 and then drive back to Birmingham for the afternoon session. I swim from 4.15 until 6.15 and then do gym work. I usually finish about 7 and then head back to my nan's house. I'll finish any work i have to do and then head to bed.

How did you first get involved in swimming?
I've swum since a very young age, but never actually had proper swimming lessons. I competed at a school gala when i was 8, i swam 25m frontcrawl and won, so then i was asked to join Ludlow swimming club.

What do you like about it?
I love the fact that you are in control of your performance. I have always loved swimming, it's relaxing.

What is your best/favourite stroke?

My best stroke is butterfly, but i swim individual medley so i'm a bit of an all rounder!

Where do you train/which club(s) do you swim for?

I train mainly in Birmingham with City of Birmingham SC, but on a Tuesday night i stay at home and swim at Ludlow. I also swim for Wales, so i'm down at Swansea performance centre a lot.

		Your greatest swimming achievement so far?
		Coming 9th in the Olympic trials and getting the Welsh Junior Record and qualifying to go the the World School Games, European Junior Championships and recently the Commonwealth Youth Games in India.

		What about your worst swimming moment?
		At club championships when i was younger and i did 2 extra lengths for the 200m backstroke race!!!!

What role has Ludlow played in your swimming career?

Everyone has to start somewhere and Ludlow was my starting point. Without it i would have never developed as a young swimmer to an athlete. The coaches gave up so much of their time to support and aid not only me, but everyone who is a member. I'll forever be thankful. A few people who have been there since the start include Vick, Dave, Tony, Lynn, Ray and Pat.

Who has/have been most influential in your swimming career?

Many people have influenced my career. My family have constantly supported me as specially my parents and nan who i live with for half the week, along with my coaches. Also Heide French who i trained with when i was younger, she kept me motivated and gave me a training partner to help me along the way. Finally, Terri Dunning from Birmingham, i shared a lane with her for many years, she is a great role model and has won many international medals herself, to the standard of World Championships and Commonwealth Games. She has truly inspired me, as specially on those cold early mornings!

What have been the main swimming events for you this year?
The Olympic Trials, European Juniors and Commonwealth Youth Games.

What are your goals for the coming year and for the more distant future?
To qualify for the 2010 Commonwealth Games early next year (2010).

Do you have any tips for Ludlow SC swimmers?
Swim for yourself and because you enjoy it, not for anybody else and remember 'Destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice'. Basically if you want to achieve something you have to go out there and make it happen.