August 1, 2022 9.32 pm This story is over 19 months old

Commonwealth Games bronze for Grantham swimmer aged just 18

Congratulations to Freya and the team!
Freya Colbert, 18, is a Commonwealth Games, European Championships and British Championships medalist. | Photo: British Swimming
By Local Democracy Reporter

Grantham-born swimmer Freya Colbert has etched her name into Lincolnshire’s history books by becoming a Commonwealth Games medalist.

The Commonwealth Games are underway in Birmingham, a quadrennial multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. It will run until Monday, August 8 with more than 280 events taking place.

Freya Colbert, who is just 18 years of age, went into her first Commonwealth Games as part of an immensely strong English swimming side, and has not looked out of place once.

During a dramatic Women’s 4x200m Freestyle relay final on Sunday, Freya, joined by Tamryn Van Selm, Abbie Wood and Freya Anderson, took third place and a bronze medal for their efforts.

It is the first international medal of Colbert’s young career, having agonisingly missed out on individual glory earlier at the Games – finishing 4th in the 400m Individual Medley despite posting a lifetime best time.

Lincolnshire is also being represented at the games by athletes such as Sam Atkin, who will compete in the 5,000 and 10,000m foot races, and Skegness’ table tennis champion Tom Jarvis.