A PENARTH youngster has been called up to represent the Wales Under 14’s basketball team.

Stanwell School pupil Niamh Sultana, 11, beat off fierce competition after being selected for the Welsh trials in November last year.

Niamh impressed coaches over the last few months, competing against girls three years older than her, and made it into the team to represent Wales during a competition in Surrey on June 7.

Niamh, who has also played for the Penarth Bears Basketball team for the last five years, has now set her sights on becoming a professional basketball player when she is older.

Proud dad David Sultana said his daughter’s selection for Wales was an ‘incredible achievement’ considering she was playing with girls three years older than herself.

“I’m involved with Penarth RFC and a couple of the dad’s are ex-WRU, and they can’t believe she’s playing three years above her own age,” he said.

“It’s a massive achievement for her.

“The last seven weeks they have been doing trials and, in a squad of 35 with an average age of 14, she is one of the only 11 year olds there.

“If I told you I hadn’t shed a single tear I would be lying.”

He added that she was first invited to a Welsh trial following a recommendation be her coach Dai at Penarth Bears Basketball team. After joining the squad in November last year she impressed judges enough to be selected to represent Wales.

David, of Redlands Road, said that Niamh’s ‘blood, sweat and tears’ had gone into making the team.

“She broke a finger on each hand during training, and her bottom two teeth also went through her lip,” he said.

“She gave blood, sweat and tears for her country.”

He added that as well as playing basketball Niamh was also a keen netballer and footballer.

Niamh, who is in Year 7, plays basketball and netball for Stanwell School, netball for Penarth All Stars and the Cardiff and Vale HUB, and football for Sully Whites.

“She’s either training or playing every day of the week,” he said.

“We always keep a basketball in the boot of the car so if we stop somewhere with a hoop she can practice for up to an hour.”

He added: “Her ambition is to pursue basketball in the future. As an 11-year-old she has already got her heart set on securing a scholarship for a University in America.

“When they had a leaver’s assembly at Victoria Primary School children were saying they wanted to be things like vets, and she was only one that wanted to be a professional basketball player.”

He added that the whole family, including her older sister Atlante (21) and brother Cameron (13), were all proud of her.

"It is great seeing local girls taking part in sports regardless of what sport they may choose," he said.

"We as parents have met some great lifelong friends just through our children’s sport."