A PADDLE-POWERED Barrow youngster has continued to make waves in the canoe polo world, with a call-up to the Great Britain Under-21s squad.

Steph Dunn has been included in the national team for 2017, having previously been part of the under-18s development squad.

Aged only 14, the St Bernard’s School pupil has taken a giant leap forward with her progress, having played alongside members of the World Champion national side with the Friends of Allonby team in Liverpool and in the Great Britain camp.

“It’s a bit surreal to be in the squad, because I’m only 14,” said Dunn. “I’ve been doing a lot of training and looking really hard at the rules, revising how the sport works, to get in a position where I’m selected.

“I can definitely see the progress from when I first started to now. My fitness has definitely improved – I’ve done a lot of training up at Cumbria Strength and Conditioning – and I’ve worked a lot on manoeuvring the boat and picking up speed.”

Dunn gained her first taste of canoeing on a school holidays course put on by Duddon Canoe Club and Barrow Sports Council, and has improved her skills ever since.

A former whitewater racer – the more traditional form of canoe sport, with competitors racing down a course – she has made a successful move to the team sport and regularly travels to Liverpool for training and open-age matches in North West Division Three and Northern Division One.

Canoe polo sees five-strong sides compete – indoors or outdoors – in matches while trying to score goals in goals suspended two metres above the water.

Dunn will train with the squad through the winter, both in Liverpool and Doncaster, with the next international matches scheduled from March onwards.

“Being in the squad is going to be a great experience,” Dunn added. “The matches are going to be a lot tougher, but it should be good to be part of them.

“I want to get to the World Championships with the team in 2018, and win a medal. The under-21s finished fourth in the last World Championships, so hopefully I can help them go at least one better.”

Mum Penny Taylor spoke of her pride in her daughter’s achievements, and said: “She plays with and against some world class players and some of the world champions. She has done really well.”