While most 17-year-olds are busy combining studies with hectic social lives, Jazz Carlin has some slightly different goals.

Aged just 15, she travelled half way around the world to compete in the 2006 Commonwealth Games and now hopes to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

But before that, she faces the British Championships in the first week of April, where she hopes to get in some fast times.

After sitting her GCSEs at Wootton Bassett School last summer, Jazz left Swindon and headed along the M4 to Swansea where she now goes to college to study A-levels in PE and business studies, alongside her gruelling training schedule of 10 two-hour sessions a week, with just one day off.

She does come back to her home town each weekend to see her family, and she still competes under the Swindon Tigersharks swimming club banner.

Jazz said: "My swimming is going really well and I can't wait for the championships. I've not got any specific aims for them, other than getting some fast times and doing my best.

"I'm hoping for the 2012 Olympics more than Beijing, but you never know."

Competing in the Commonwealth Games was something most sports people can only dream of and Jazz took the experience as a chance to focus her goals for the future.

"It gave me a taster of what it's like to be involved at that kind of level. Seeing all the other countries and how other people prepared, while swimming in such a massive stadium was amazing."

And while swimming is a relaxing pastime for most people, it dominates Jazz's life.

"I try to balance having a social life as well as the swimming, as that makes everything more enjoyable," she said.

"My college friends do understand about my swimming, and it helps that I live with other swimmers here in Swansea so I have both sets of people on-side."

Moving away from home at the comparatively young age of 16 is an indicator of how determined Jazz is to make a career of her swimming.

"Swimming is so important to me, it takes over most of my life - it's like having a job - but I still really enjoy it.

"But I still have fun and that's what matters, as well as it keeping my body fit and healthy.

"I want to have a go at making something from my swimming as I don't want any regrets. My coach is really hopeful and he's trained world class athletes, so he's really motivating to us all."

- see tomorrow's Adver for a full report and pictures about the Swindon Tigersharks' Wiltshire Winter League victory