MATTEA-JAY Oliver is celebrating winning her first national medal.

She claimed a silver with a personal best time in the 16-year-old girls’ 200m backstroke while swimming for City of Liverpool at the ASA National Summer Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

The medal caps five previous years of competition at the event in which she has reached finals but missed out on top three placings.

Mattea-jay, a pupil at Rainford High School, received a grant from AJ Bell to support her and she made it count by qualifying for five individual swims and two relays in both British and English summer national competitions .

She reached three finals, the 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley being precursors to her success in the 200m backstoke on the final day.

She finished fourth in a personal best time in the 200m IM final.