A DUNFERMLINE Water Polo Club star who said she "didn't have a clue what I was doing" when she first started in the sport is on her way to a European championship.

Zara Christie was set to fly to Manisa, Türkiye, on Thursday to compete at the women's LEN (European Aquatics) Under-17 European Championships, which were due begin this weekend, and run until the following.

The Dunfermline High School pupil successfully came through a series of trials to be selected for Great Britain's squad as they take their place as one of 16 teams at the prestigious competition.

Goalkeeper Zara, a former Carnegie Swimming Club member who is now also part of Dunfermline Amateur Swimming Club, as well as the city's water polo club, is the only Scottish-based player that have made the final 13-player squad, with Nicole Morrison, from Glasgow, one of two non-travelling reserves.

Previously, we reported that the teenager, who was recently named as the SASA (Scottish Amateur Swimming Association) East District Junior Water Polo Player of the Year, was looking forward to competing at the European Championships after "working three years towards it".

It comes after she represented GB's junior girls squad last year at an EU Nations Cup competition in Czechia, having been approached to trial after playing at an inter-regional competition south of the border, and caps an impressive rise in the sport after she became "scunnered" with swimming.

After a friend of mum Catriona mentioned water polo, a move into the sport was born and, following confirmation of her selection for the squad, she told Press Sport: "I went for a trial, loved it, went back to swimming - because I had to swim for water polo - and here we are.

"I really enjoyed it when I first went. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I was like, 11, 12, primary seven kind of age, and then I just went along. I thought it was a bit different. I started going a bit more frequently, and just never stopped since then, really!

"I liked how it was a team sport, and it was really different from swimming, because swimming was individual and all in your head. I enjoy it so much - I love it.

"Everyone spurs each other on. Even if the scoreline's massive, and you're losing, everyone cheers each other on. If you're losing a race in swimming, and you have to cheer yourself on, it's harder than having your mates in the pool cheer you up and keep you going."

The competing teams have been split into four groups of four, with the top two from each advancing to the quarter-finals.

Zara and her GB team-mates are in Group D, where they will play the hosts, Serbia, Ukraine and Ireland.