07
Aug
Harrogate schoolgirl wins three international medals for Team GB
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A Harrogate schoolgirl has won three medals for Team GB in a European tournament.
Swimmer Lois Child, 15, took home two silvers and one bronze medal from the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, North Macedonia last month.
The festival is a week-long multisport event for young athletes aged between 14 and 18. This year, between July 20-26, it hosted more than 4,000 athletes and officials from 50 European nations, and featured 15 Olympic events, including swimming, athletics, cycling, and gymnastics.
Lois, who is a member of Harrogate District Swimming Club, won silver medals in the 400m Individual Medley and the 4x100m Mixed Medley Relay, as well as a bronze medal in the 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay.
Team GB's 16-strong swimming team was part of a contingent of 54 British athletes at the tournament. This is the largest squad Team GB has put together for a European Youth Olympic Festival since 2009.
For her Individual Medley, Lois produced a nine-second improvement from her qualifying time to get Team GB on the podium in the first final of the whole competition. Finishing with a time of 4:54.91, Lois was pipped to the finish line by Spain’s Maria Santana Beneyto, who finished 0.59 seconds ahead of her. Lois finished just two hundredths of a second ahead of Austria's bronze medallist, Nida Omid.
She said after the race:
That is such a hard event, so it feels amazing to get the medal. I wasn’t expecting that result at all, but I’m so pleased with my performance. Getting second and standing on the podium doesn’t feel real at all. I’m really happy to have got that first medal and hope it’s the start of many more to come for Team GB.
Lois Child (left) stands on the podium with Spain's Maria Santana Beneyto and Austria's Nida Omid.
Team GB finished fifth in the overall medal table, winning 22 medals: 10 gold, seven silver and five bronze. Finishing ahead of Britain were Italy, France, Spain, and Turkey.
The swimming team contributed half the haul, securing 11 medals. Lois therefore contributed to 14% of the nation’s medals in the tournament.
Brian Charlton, a spokesperson for Harrogate District Swimming Club, said:
As a club we couldn’t be prouder of her. A huge shout out, of course, goes to her parents, Paul and Ali, whose unwavering dedication and sacrifices mean she can chase her dreams.
Her coaches, Julian and Joe, and of course all her teammates, who are both a huge support network for Lois, [and are] inspired by her achievement to push on with their own goals. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
The next edition of the summer European Youth Olympic Festival will be hosted in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy in 2027.
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