Up Close and Personal with Emma Harvey

Many of you know about Emma Harvey, the amazing 12-year-old swimmer who recently represented Bermuda at the 2014 Carifta Games in Aruba.

Emma, who is in Year 8 at Warwick Academy, has been swimming since she was seven years old but really pursued the sport a year later. Emma swims six to seven times a week with her local swim club, Harbour Swim Team, and also trains with the Bermuda National Swimming Squad.

Recently, she travelled to Aruba for the 2014 Carifta Games and represented Bermuda exceptionally well. Emma admitted, “Walking into Carifta this year, I was nervous and felt a lot of pressure, but I was also proud to represent Bermuda!”

Of her gold-winning race, the 50-metre backstroke, she said, “When I was in that race, I reminded myself how hard I have worked to get to where I am and how I badly I wanted to stand on that podium at the end of race!”

By the end of the Carifta Games Emma had won five individual silver medals, two silver medals from relay events and three individual gold medals, bringing her total to a mind-blowing ten medals! Due to the medals she won the High Points Award and due to her excellent performance and fantastic times she is now the top swimmer in the Caribbean for her age group.

She shared that one of her idols is Eleanor (Ellie) Simmonds, a paralympian swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2012 Paralympics in London. She also said that one of her fervent hopes for the future is to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Emma finally had said that without the loving support from her family and friends she would not be as successful as she is today and would like to thank them for everything they have done for her.