Meet Olympic Torch bearer Rachel Haigh

But she took to Leeds University with her a host of swimming knowledge, helping to boost the centre’s profile in the swimming world and knock its competition out of the water.

She was nominated by Leeds University to carry the Olympic Torch.

“I’ve managed to balance my swimming and degree studies, and do well at both of them,” she said. “Through my knowledge of the sport I’ve been able to impact on the university’s swimming team, making a lot of changes and improvements helping us to move up the rankings of the British Universities and Colleges Sport.” Rachel, 21, said she could have taken a couple of years away from her studies to take part in Olympic trials, but decided swimming wasn’t going to be her long-term future.

“There’s no guarantees in swimming, and if I’d taken part in the trials and not made it I would have been devastated,” she said.

Rachel, who is originally from Newcastle, said she was getting nervous about carrying the torch through Batley on Monday, but said she was equally as excited.

She said: “At first I didn’t realise how big it all was, but then I saw all the media hype over it. It’s really nice that I’ve been chosen.”

Tomorrow, meet Olympic Torch carrier Brenda Thompson at www.batleynews.co.uk.