SWIM ace Alix Knagg is heading to the USA on a dream sports scholarship.

The Roa Island teenager will test herself against some of the top athletes in America after being handed funding to study at New Mexico State University.

Knagg will study Bio-chemistry over four years in Las Cruces, where her scholarship – which covers her accommodation, studying and living costs – means she will also be a member of the college’s swim team.

The 17-year-old Ulverston Victoria High School pupil has shone in the pool as a member of Ulverston Amateur Swimming Club and the City of Manchester in recent years.

She was approached by a member of a sport recruitment company regarding the opportunity to combine her future studies with her swimming and New Mexico spotted her talent – following up with Skype calls with the team coach.

“It’s nice to know that the sacrifices you make can pay off and there is a reward for it,” said Knagg, who has already visited the university campus in preparation for the start of her studies next year.

“It’s an opportunity loads of people could have, but nobody knows about it, and it’s very cool to be going.

“I’ll be training really hard trying to get qualification times for certain meets and I will be representing the university in competitions.

“They’re a Division One university, the top division for swimming, so they will compete against the top teams. There could be some of the best swimmers in the country.

“It’s very, very scary, but I’m really excited. It’s an amazing experience, you couldn’t pass it up – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

She added: “It will be an amazing experience. I’m looking forward to being able to train with other girls who want to swim. It’s going to be awesome.”

In the pool, Knagg finished third in the English National Championships over 100m backstroke.

She picked that out as her best achievement, for the year, though she has numerous county and regional titles to her name, as well as reaching finals at the Manchester International meet and the Scottish Nationals.

The Furness athlete has been Cumbria girls captain in 2015 and has represented both Ulverston and Manchester in competition. The displays come on the back of a committed training routine, with Knagg travelling to Manchester each week and spending around 20 hours overall in the pool or the gym every seven days.

It is that commitment which will drive her forward in New Mexico, and she said: “I want to get a good degree, but after college here I just didn’t want to stop swimming. Over here, there are not really many opportunities to swim and get a degree, but over there I can have four years of training hard and getting better at my swimming.

“I’m looking forward to being able to swim and do my studies with other girls who are like me.”