Kamau ready for Commonwealths - The Solihull Observer

Kamau ready for Commonwealths

Solihull Editorial 23rd Jul, 2014 Updated: 21st Oct, 2016   0

TUDOR Grange Academy student Becky Kamau will take part in the breaststroke heats today at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she will be swimming for Kenya.

The 15-year-old City of Birmingham and Solihull Swimming Club (SSC) ace secured her place by competing in the Kenyan National trials in Nairobi in February.

At the trials Kamau, who was 14 at the time, won seven golds and one silver as well as breaking three national records.

Kamau has dual Kenyan and British nationality as her mum Penny went to work in Kenya in 1986 for a Swedish Aid Organisation working with deaf and blind people,.




Originally this was just for two years, however, she eventually stayed for 24 years, marrying and having two children, Becky and her older brother, before the family moved to Solihull in 2010.

Kamau was already a very accomplished swimmer and joined SSC where her talents were picked up and she also progressed to the City of Birmingham Club while still competing for SSC.


When she was 13 Kamau was moved up to the senior squad at Birmingham, one of the youngest swimmers to achieve this.

She now trains for 20 hours a week, including three mornings and five nights, under the watchful eye of her coach Carl Grosvenor.

“Becky is incredibly determined and focused.” her mum said.

“At the age of eight or nine she told me she would be at the Olympic Games and this is indeed her aim for 2016.”

As a Year 10 student Kamau has also been studying for five GCSEs with exams coming during the Midland District Age Group Championship earlier this year.

Craig Walker Curriculum Leader for PE said at Tudor Grange said: “Everyone at at the school is incredibly proud of Rebecca. We are delighted that all of her sacrifices and early starts have paid off and that her goals are being realised.

“It is a phenomenal achievement, successfully balancing her academic work with the volume of training she completes.

“We shall all be watching and look forward to hearing about her experiences on her return.”

Continuing her commitment to her local club Solihull, Kamau also competed for them in the National Arena league and holds club records and was team captain for the Junior Leagues.

Solihull Swimming Club coach, Dean Barguss, said: “Becky has always shown great determination and from a young age you could see she would go onto great things.

“She has always had team spirit and been willing and happy to help with the younger members of the team.

“I and the whole of SSC wish her great success at the games and will be watching with interest.

The Commonwealth Games get under way today with Kamau competing in three breaststroke events and two individual medleys.

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