Ewan Wilson

Sixteen-year-old Ewan Wilson from Salford is one of the best swimmers of his age in the country, and has been earning the recognition to go with.

Salford-born and bred, Wilson recently won the Greater Manchester Sports Achiever of the Year award despite facing tough opposition.

He has done it all locally, having been county champion in multiple events and representing Lancashire.

He’s also impressed on the national stage, making a final in the 400m freestyle and a silver medal in the 200m butterfly.

Wilson has been swimming since the age of three, starting at local leisure centres with his mother.

Something that underlines his motivation is his background, he’s from a single parent family there’s him and his mum, Alison.

She massively supports him but doesn’t drive, so Wilson is left to get taxis buses and trains to every training session and when some sessions are starting at 5 in the morning that’s quite some commitment.

This isn’t any easy task for anyone, never mind someone who has to go to school after that.

This commitment was one of the main reasons he won the GM Sports Performer of the year award.

Ewan Wilson after being presented with the GM Sports Performer of the year award

His coach, John Stout, argues that this shows his determination to make it to the top.

“Mentally I would suggest Ewan is in a very good place to get to the very top.

“At this moment in time, he’s making exceptional progress, he’s swimming 2:05 for 200M butterfly and he’s 16 years old.

“If he continues reducing his time, hopefully he will be under 2 minutes by the time he is 18.

“I think once you’re at that level then that puts you in the top 8 in the country at all ages.”

However, Stout did concede that these things are hard to predict as it is impossible to predict what level other people are at in the country.

The self-motivated Wilson is determined to forge a career in swimming, be it in coaching or competing.

Stout doesn’t doubt that Wilson has what it takes to do this.

“He has a lot of hunger and desire, swimming has been the dominant thing in his life.

“Generally we want kids to have really good attitude towards the sport, great application in what they do and to show good ambition and Ewan shows all these qualities.”

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