Ashford School sports star

PUBLISHED: 18:05 20 May 2016 | UPDATED: 18:05 20 May 2016

Sarah Sturt

Multi-gold winning swimmer Thomas Wilton

Manu Palomeque 07977074797

Tell us a bit about you

My name is Thomas Wilton. I live in Bethersden and go to Ashford School. I started swimming when I was about five, and first joined a club at the age of nine. In my first year of competing I won the Kent County Swimming Championships 10-year-old ‘bagcat’ award, which meant that I had the best average results. I got four golds that year, and finished every race in the top six.

I swam with Ashford town until I was 11, when I moved to City of Canterbury Swimming Club in search of more hours of training and a more competitive club. I had the same success the next year, winning the 11-year-old bagcat award and again, four golds in the same four events. I also got my first regional time, which meant I could compete at the regional championships.

What are you doing now?

Now I continue to compete mainly in swimming but have also picked up Modern Pentathlon and now regularly do running, shooting and fencing training along with my swimming.

So far, I have competed in both regional and national triathlon and biathlons and have finished in the top six on a number of occasions. My most recent achievement was winning the 2016 national schools biathlon.

All of these increasingly good performances have led to me being chosen for the English Talent Program and I am hoping to be moved up to Talent, the first stage of the World-Class section of the Pentathlon GB program.

Do you have any other hobbies?

When it comes to hobbies, sport is a big one. But like any other teenager, I love videogames, although I am happy to say that I don’t play nearly as much as some people I know!

My favourite games are story-based or F1 games, since I am a big Lewis Hamilton fan and love F1 in general. It is one of my biggest interests, but so far this season I have missed the first two races of the season (some of the best two races in a very long time).

Another favourite hobby is building a soapbox car to compete in the Aldington Soapbox race and many others if possible.

What’s best about Kent?

One of the best things about living in Kent is how easy it is to escape to some kind of countryside area within a stone’s throw of most towns. For example, I live in a village just minutes away from Ashford, which means that there is easy access to the Julie Rose Running Stadium and to my school. The only issue is the lack of a 50m pool in Kent; in fact, the closest ones are in either France or Crystal Palace.

Your favourite music?

I listen to all types of music but I prefer newer music to the music that my mum likes to listen to.

The last book you read?

The last book I read was The Martian by Andy Weir. It is a fantastic book and well suited to all teenagers and even adults alike. It is humorous and is one of the best books I have ever read. I am now also watching the film, and I hate to be one of those guys, but the book is better than the film. w