Lifesaver Rebecca Matthews selected for Great Britain's world championships team

A trip '˜down under' to compete in the Lifesaving World Championships is just the latest in a long list of achievements for Wakefield's Rebecca Matthews.
Matthews in action.Matthews in action.
Matthews in action.

Matthews has been included in the Great Britain Open Team to compete at the 2018 Lifesaving World Championships in Adelaide, Australia, from November 20 to 25.

A team of six male and six female athletes has been selected for the championships which are held every two years.

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The 12-strong team will race in 24 different events across the five days in one of the most intense sporting competitions in the world.

Rebecca Matthews at a swimming competition in Florida.Rebecca Matthews at a swimming competition in Florida.
Rebecca Matthews at a swimming competition in Florida.

Lifesaving is nothing new to Matthews, who has spent the majority of her summers working as a lifeguard.

This year she worked as a lifeguard in Seignosse, France and has also been a lifeguard at Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

The 25-year-old swam a mile at just five-years-old before joining the City of Leeds Swimming Club where she trained several times a week and entered competitive races at eight years of age.

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“Swimming has always been a passion of mine as I have dedicated most of my life to it,” she said.

“I’m extremely grateful to combine my love of lifesaving and the ocean with my athletic swimming career.

“The sport has let me compete at an international level and represent my home country with pride.”

For more on Matthews' story pick up a copy of today's Wakefield Express.

Also in today's paper, find a an eight-page junior rugby league teams picture special.