Competing for Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006 at the age of 16 was daunting for me. It was my first major senior competition and to go out there in front of such a huge crowd was terrifying at the time, but I've had so many senior internationals since then, I feel that this experience has given me the confidence to give it the best shot that I can.

You have to have other things in your life apart from swimming to focus on. It's not going to be just swimming in my life.

It depends what competition you are in. When you go to the big meets it's all about who touches in first. You've got to get into that race and into that frame of mind so that you're ready to race and you're ready to work hard and finish first.

Competing for Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006 at the age of 16 was daunting for me. It was my first major senior competition and to go out there in front of such a huge crowd was terrifying at the time, but I've had so many senior internationals since then, I feel that this experience has given me the confidence to give it the best shot that I can.

I definitely think education is important and both education and sport link really well together. I like to give education and sport the best that I can to see if I can succeed in both.

It's definitely an honour to represent my home country once again in the Commonwealth Games. It is going to be a magical experience and to be considered as a role model is a reward in itself.

I train 10 times over six days every week. I also have three gym sessions and four physio sessions so it's a very busy life, but I wouldn't do it unless I enjoyed it and unless I had all that support around me.