ANNA Hopkin is balancing studies with swimming as she prepares for her Commonwealth Games bow.

The 21-year-old has been named in England’s squad for the Gold Coast and goes with medal chances in individual and relay events.

The Chorley swimmer, a former member of the town’s Marlins club and the Gallica squad in Blackburn, is competing in the 50m and 100m freestyle as well as the 4x100m freestyle relay in Australia.

And as if preparing for a major sporting event is not enough, the youngster is also working through the final few months of her university degree in sport and exercise science.

But Hopkin, who won the 50m and 100m freestyle titles in the National Winter Championships in December, is taking it all in her stride.

“I am really looking forward to it,” she said.

“It is my first senior international and I can’t wait to get out there.

“Training is going well and I will keep working hard.

“I’ve got all my uni finals coming up as well but I am sure it will all be fine!

“I am studying and training at Bath Uni and it is hard managing the two but I am enjoying it.”

Hopkin is part of a 39-strong England swim squad for the Games and Para-Games which also includes Rossendale’s Tom Hamer and is led by Olympic and World Champion Adam Peaty.

The action gets underway on Thursday, April 5, with Hopkin straight in at the deep end in the relay preliminaries on day one.

As a result she will miss the opening ceremony the night before in preparation for a busy schedule which could see her competing on a daily basis.

She said: “I am not going to the opening ceremony, none of the swim squad are but we will be going to the closing ceremony.

“The relay is on day one and I might be racing every day.”

Hopkin’s Commonwealth call officially came in January and the former St Michael’s School pupil admits she was relieved when the news broke, not just because it confirmed her spot but as it also allowed her to tell friends and family.

She added: “I was really hopeful I would be selected and when I found out I wanted to tell everyone but I couldn’t!

“My mum, dad and brother are all coming out to support me, I think they will be alright watching although they’ll probably be more nervous than me.

“But it will be nice to have that support out there and to see some familiar faces.

“I can’t wait to get started.”

And the Chorley starlet, who won the 50m freestyle in the British Championships last April, will hope to call on her previous multi-games experience as she prepares to enter the athletes’ village.

“I went to the World University Games in August and I think it will be a similar to that,” she said of mingling with competitors from other sports and coping with an increased spotlight.

“That experience will definitely be of help being with athletes from different sports and the village set-up.

“I think that will help me but it will be on a completely different scale at the Commonwealth’s.”