A four-year-old who has been swimming without armbands since she was two has been tipped for future Olympic success by her coaches.
Grace Field, 4, has always loved being in the water and to everyone's amazement started swimming without armbands when she was just two-years-old.
Grace's mum, Kate, said her daughter is a natural "water baby" after she was a water birth on Christmas Day.
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Kate said her and her partner Paul began to take Grace down to Ellergreen Lifestyles in West Derby when she was only a few months old — and before long she was swimming without arm bands.
Kate told the ECHO : "Nobody could believe it when she jumped into the deep end of the pool and swam to the side without any assistance.
"She then began lessons with children six and older and was doing full widths in all strokes within a few months of the lessons.
"Then lockdown happened and even on the [last day before lockdown], Lifestyles did one last lesson and Grace was the only child to arrive for the class and had her last swim in a public pool for a year."
But the lockdown restrictions didn't stop Grace's passion for swimming, with her taking to the beaches to sea swim with her parents when the weather allowed.
She even went snorkelling in Spain to see fish with her parents in between lockdowns.
Since lockdown has finished, Grace has got back in the water at Ellergreen Lifestyles and learnt her new favourite stroke — the 'mermaid.'
Kate said: "She has now mastered all stroke lengths and is diving to near perfection.
"Grace's favourite stroke is the 'mermaid' which is like the butterfly without the use of the arms.
"Grace actually some day believes she is a real mermaid."
Kate added Grace's coach at Lifestyles said: "In 24 years of coaching he had never seen a child like it."
Grace has already outgrown the available teaching for her age, so has been practising with children as old as nine.
Kate hopes an exception will be made in the rules so Grace can compete in swimming galas with children more than double her age.
During the Olympics, Grace was fascinated by the swimming events — and one day aspires to compete on the biggest stage.
Kate said all the coaches and lifeguards at Ellergreen Lifestyles have tipped Grace for future success, hoping she will get a chance at the Olympics when she is older.
Kate added: "The staff at Ellergreen have all been so supportive and welcoming to Grace and push and encourage her on every visit which is nearly every day.
"We hope Grace will compete in the Olympics and it will inspire people to use the council facilities and keep centres like Ellergreen Lifestyles open as it can help shape lives and ambitions."
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