Millie Sansome got the opportunity to go head to head against some of Britain’s finest young swimmers at the Best Swim Fest in Majorca.

The event saw Sansome, who is a member of Wycombe District Swimming Club (WDSC), compete for England in open water events alongside experienced internationals including up and coming star Timothy Shuttleworth.

With English, British, Scottish and Welsh Swimming programmes all being involved in the running of the camp, it will surely have helped Sansome improve in a style of swimming she is not accustomed to.

WDSC head coach Kevin Brooks explained: “I was so pleased [for Millie] as she was incredibly nervous about attending.

"She sees herself as a backstroke swimmer and this event is completely different.

“This competition and camp has broadened Millie’s outlook and has enabled her to believe that she is capable of achieving in multiple events and distances.

“She is still young and has time on her side before any sort of specialisation.”

After the first competition of the camp, a 5km town to town race, had to be cancelled due to adverse water conditions, the swimmers moved to a 5.6km training course in the harbour.

The second race took place shortly after as Sansome took part in a 1.5km sprint which proved to be action packed from the outset.

The relatively short distance ensures the athletes set off at a hectic pace which they look to maintain for the duration of the event, and sees both junior and senior athletes compete alongside each other.

While Sansome was always facing a tough task to match her more experienced counterparts, she coped well with both the physical demands and nerves to hold her own.

The England team’s main aim for the camp was to expose both junior and senior athletes to open water competition, and in Sansome’s case the camp has certainly had the desired effect.

She took time to praise her WDSC coaches after an experience which she looks back on in nothing but a positive light.

“I was so nervous about going, in fact it had been a running joke with all of the performance squad at the club,” Sansome said.

“Once I got my England team kit and once I arrived in Majorca and got to swim in the sea, meet the swimmers and staff I began to relax and enjoy the experience.

“I had such a good time and learnt so much. The training at Wycombe has really helped me to improve.”

The 15-year-old’s non-stop schedule sees her take part in the Great East Swim on Saturday where she will compete alongside club mate Sophie Millen.

Both swimmers rank in the top three of the elite junior age groups and are in contention to be included in Great Britain’s European junior selection.