SWIMMING coach Hannah Creelman has proved she's going places in her chosen sport.

The Thirsk White Horse swim team coach has been crowned Young Coach of the Year at the North Yorkshire Sports Conference.

An avid swimmer, she became interested in teaching at 14, under experienced Thirsk coach Dave Smith.

At 16, she passed the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) assistant teacher's award and began teaching youngsters at both Thirsk swimming pool and Hambleton leisure centre, in Northallerton.

At 18, she became the youngest person in the North to pass the ASA full teacher's award.

Hannah was on her way to Sheffield University last summer, when former Australian Olympic champion Dave Smith left the Thirsk club to return to his native land.

That prompted Hannah to take a year out and attempt to qualify as a swimming coach. After months of exams and practical work, she achieved her goal in February, making her one of the youngest swimming coaches in the country.

She will now begin a course in physiotherapy at Sheffield University in the autumn and intends to further her coaching career while there.

"Thirsk White Horse has helped me immensely, and I will always be grateful to its members for the chances that they have given me," she said.

She is now training for the 100 metre freestyle at the Commonwealth Games trials.