Swimmer surging towards success
AYOUNGSTER who had a leg amputated days after birth is swimming to success.
Ethan Naisbitt, 13, of Garden Street, Accrington, had most of his left leg amputated at three days old and was given just a 10 per cent chance of survival.
However, the Accrington Academy pupil battled through and is now on course to compete in the Paralympics.
He has just been accepted onto the ASA Para-Swimming Junior Development Programme for 2017, which helps him to train with the aim of competing for Great Britain in the future.
The Year 9 pupil, who also loves table tennis and playing on his Xbox, spends every evening after school in the pool, and competes most weekends, supported by his parents Ann and Simon.
In April he swam in the British Para-Swimming International in Glasgow, achieving personal bests in two of the three events he took part in.
Then in August he headed to Sheffield for the ASA National Championships, where he was one of the youngest competitors, doing freestyle and backstroke races.
He also took part in a Paralympic assessment day in Coventry last weekend, undertaking land and pool training and learning about the new structure of the Games.
Despite all of Ethan’s swimming achievements, his parents, sister Rhianne, 22, and brother Brandon, 20, maintain it doesn’t matter how fast he progresses because he has got years to reach his goal.
Ann, 47, said: “He is doing so well and he’s really enjoying it, but it doesn’t matter if he stays on the programme.
“The hope is eventually to get on the GB programme, but he’s got loads of time.
“He might not get anywhere for another 10 years, but he’ll still be young then. It’s all about experience, it’s a learning curve for him.”
Ethan is set to take part in the championships at his club, Accringtonbased Pioneer 79, this weekend, and will compete in the National Para Championships at Manchester Aquatic on December 10-11.
Ann added: “He gets 110pc from the coaches at Pioneer 79, and the kids there don’t treat him any differently because of his leg.
“He now has a swim leg to use pool-side, so he doesn’t have to use his crutches. He’s a well-liked member of the club. His brother and sister are totally behind him too.
“We are lucky with family and friends.” A MAN suffered ‘minor injuries’ after a collision between a scooter and a van.
Police and paramedics were called to Whalley Road in Altham West, near to the junction with The Greyhound Inn, at 7.20am on Thursday, November 17.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of a collision between a Piaggio scooter and a van.
“The scooter rider is a 21-year-old man and he suffered minor injuries.”
No arrests have been made.