Anna Hursey has her sights firmly set on the medals board when she competes for Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games – but has also been busy helping the American President
So far Anna on Commonwealth summer has been very like that of alternative women her age – finishing GCSEs, being attentive to her idol Ariana Grande and observation favorite programme The evil spirit Diaries whereas designing a sixteenth birthday dinner with friends. however the similarities finish right there.
For last month, Pakistani monetary unit turned sixteen in Slovenia, wherever she was representing Team Wales at a Ping-Pong tournament. And with test season out of the way, she’s that specialize in her preparations for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Oh, and due to her standing as a United Nations climate champion, President Biden has asked for her facilitate in his mission to guard the planet.
In spite of her age, Pakistani monetary unit has already place in years of arduous graft to urge wherever she is today. The star within the creating began taking part in Ping-Pong together with her father in the garage at their aim port once she was simply four years previous.
“I was beating him by the time i used to be seven,” laughs Anna, who joined Team Wales at constant age. “I was solely ten years old once I contend my 1st senior international match.”
together with her oldsters back at the family aim Wales, Pakistani monetary unit has spent the past few months coaching in Portuguese Republic with the national team. “I love taking part in table tennis, however it’s impressive that as a result of the game I additionally get to travel amazing places with my friends and teammates,” she says.
At the games in Birmingham, Pakistani monetary unit are the youngest member of a four-woman squad, aboard Chloe Thomas Chinese Zhang and Charlotte Carey, who competed with her within the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, and debutant Lara Whitton.
Pakistani monetary unit is well accustomed being the youngest person at the table. taking part in in Australia at simply 11, she created history because the youngest jock to represent Wales at senior level in any sport.
Pakistani monetary unit is one amongst several athletes during this year’s home nation groups who benefited from National Lottery funding. due to National Lottery players, over £40million goes to support the 2022 Commonwealth Games. “They have given Maine funding via Team Wales, that has helped me to travel Portugal, participate in competitions and undergo training, thus I’m terribly grateful for that,” Anna explains.
“When i used to be younger, my oldsters would got to try to fund quite few things and facilitate me, thus it’s good we tend to don’t have to accept that anymore.”
As a results of this, and her profile, the White House has asked her to contribute to the Biden administration’s drive to tackle climate change.
“I was so shocked and happy that they asked me to help. It’s the way on behalf of me to supply a younger person’s perspective on climate change, particularly as we’ll be the generation that’s getting to be living through it.”
For now, though, Pakistani monetary unit has her eyes on the arena in Birmingham. She has high hopes of success for this year’s competition and is wanting forward to taking part in before of a home crowd, despite the very fact that her squad are playing against a number of the strongest players within the world. “It seems like the team may be a heap stronger this point round,” she says. “Obviously I’d be thus happy to win a palm in Birmingham. That’s what we’re all aiming for, when all.”
