Darcie Platts

Sports Award

Age:

15

Biography

Darcie is 15 years old, from Whetstone, in Leicestershire. She has been swimming since she was a baby and her love of the water made her proceed very quickly through her badges during swimming lessons, join a swimming club, showcase her talents and be invited to join the City of Leicester Swimming Club (CoLSC), Talent Pathway, at the age of 10 years old.

Whilst studying for her GCSE's in college, Darcie also juggles, the school netball team, a talented athlete dance squad, ballet, tap, modern/jazz and acrobatics lessons, 8 2-hour pool training sessions (including 4, 4.15am starts) and 2 gym/land based training sessions with her coach Jamie Evans at CoLSC.

Darcie has had a very successful year; holding 16 Junior and senior trophies from earlier in 2023, at the County Championships, made selection for English Schools (ESSA) for the 2nd year running, and claiming 2 bronze medals in the 200m and 400m Individual Medley (IM) events. She was the youngest of four athletes from CoLSC who qualified to swim at the prestigious British Championships, in April at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, shaving a few seconds off her 400m IM personal best. Continuing with her success Darcie qualified for numerous events, in every stroke, at Regionals, making her slim down her choices for competition to concentrate on her most attainable goals. Towards the end of last season Darcie qualified for three events at British Nationals and six events at English Nationals, making finals at both National events.

The start of the new swim season continues to look busy, it sees Darcie move up squads to train in the National Youth Squad at CoLSC with more focus on training to win. So far she has been invited to represent Leicestershire at the County Teams Gala in October, qualify for numerous events at the short course Regionals in November and Winter Nationals in December.

Thank you to JHMT for your support - the award will go towards the purchase of a new racing suit and some new Fast-skin racing goggles.