A NINE-year old swimmer could go to great lengths after being ranked fifth in Britain for 100m butterfly in her age group.

Mia Smith, nine, attends Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn and swims on average, five times a week.

Her proud mum Gill, Deputy Headteacher at Haslingden High School, said: “She has been swimming since she was a baby and she first joined a competitive swimming club when she was seven. She started competing in club galas at eight.

“She is now a member of Pioneer 79 Swimming Club of Accrington and swims three-four nights after school and every Sunday at 7am.”

Mia, from Helmshore, earned her national position after the Blackpool Rocks meet at Palatine Swimming Pool, which she entered after having achieved the qualifying times to compete against other young swimmers.

Mia said: “I enjoy swimming very much and felt really proud when I won so many medals at Blackpool and gained PBs in almost all my events. I have good team mates and love training with them and working towards our competitions.”

Gill said: “By the end of the weekend meet she had won six golds, two silvers and one bronze.

“She competed in 50m, 100m and 200m races swimming different strokes over the two days.

“Mia was up against swimmers from all over the North West region and she ended up winning the top girl prize for her age group on points. When the rankings came out we found out she was fifth in Britain for 100m butterfly.

“It was an amazing weekend and we are incredibly proud. She has worked so hard. Mia is quite a shy, quiet little girl but when she dives off the blocks and swims she has a lot of confidence and she wants to win.”

Mia has already potentially qualified to swim for the first time in the Lancashire County Championships in the 200m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke and the aim there is to gain experience of long course swimming with the future goal of gaining a place in the regionals.

She is confident swimming all different strokes but her preference is currently for butterfly.

“I knew she was talented because when she was five she completed a sponsored swim and swam 2,000 metres – that’s 80 lengths of a normal swimming pool,” said Gill.

On top of her national placing, Mia also recently regained her title as Blackburn with Darwen butterfly champion at the Primary Schools’ Swimming Gala where she competed against older Year 6 pupils.