IT’S A LONG way from East Hampshire to Tokyo by any length of distance.

But a teenage swimmer who once made a splash in Clanfield Junior School has a high chance of making waves at the 2020 Olympics judging by her recent progress.

Things are going swimmingly for Beth Elms as the 15-year-old from Clanfield is on the verge of breaking into Team GB.

The Petersfield School (TPS) student is “quietly optimistic” of her chances with the Olympic swimming trials taking place in Glasgow this April.

Success would lead to European and international competitions and the chance to represent her country at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

The opportunity to follow in the slipstream of Rebecca Adlington and her heroes would be a dream come true for Beth, who is ranked seventh in the UK for her age group.

She said: “In April this year it’s the British Championships but they’re also known as the Olympic trials. I can also qualify for the young European Championship and Commonwealth Games if I do well.

“It’s probably too soon for Rio but I could probably make the 2020 Olympics and that’s an aim.”

Beth has become one of the star prospects at Havant and Waterlooville Swimming Club since first taking to the water competitively in 2009.

The Year 10 student is the current Hampshire county champion in all events and had a superb 2015, finishing strongly in the Regional Championships, English Nationals and British Nationals.

Beth, who is currently training nine times a week, specialises in breaststroke but is starting to develop an individual medley.

Her current regime is a world away from her early days in the Horizon Club and the pool at Clanfield Junior School but she hopes the hard work will pay off.

She said: “It’s a challenge and the training is quite strenuous. I do get achy sometimes and the longest training session I had was three hours. I don’t know what to expect in Glasgow but the training is going well and hopefully it will pay off.