Atkinson's going for gold at World University Games

Having started in the pool at school, the 22-year-old soon fell in love with the sport and started taking it seriously at Douglas Swimming Club in her early teens.

Hailing from the Isle of Man, Atkinson soon outgrew the local facilities and moved to Plymouth College to enhance her progression.

She went on to make the Team GB squad for the Youth Olympics and competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow at the age of just 17.

Graduating this year from Loughborough University with a degree in human biology, Atkinson was recently crowned British champion for the first time in the 50m butterfly.

And she'll go for gold at this week's World University Games in Naples, where she will compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly.

"At school, I liked to do a bit of everything – I had a go at tennis, badminton, ballet and gymnastics – but I was too tall," she said.

"I've been swimming at least eight times a week throughout my GCSEs, A-Levels and degree – it's all I've ever known.

"It's been drilled into me and in my first year at university, I lived with other swimmers who shared the same mindset.

"It can be quite funny though when you're going to training at 5:00AM and there are still people on nights out!"

Despite being well established on the global scene, the World Championship finalist is relishing the opportunity to get her first taste of Universiade action in Italy and add to her experience, after she was part of Britain’s triumphant 4x100m medley team at last year's European Sports Championships in Glasgow.

She said: "I love doing multi-sport events and I'm really excited to get the opportunity to be part of the squad.

"I've heard it's a really fun meet from people who have been before and I'm excited to share it with other students.

"I don't know what the competition's going to be like. I just want to go there and get season bests.

"If I can get personal bests, then great, and we'll see how that compares to the other swimmers there.

"The Olympics is definitely the goal for next year. I'm going to stay in Loughborough to swim and I've applied to do a master's, so hopefully I can keep progressing and improve."

Sportsbeat 2019