The memories of the Commonwealth Games are still fresh in her mind but now swimmer Sian Morgan is catching up with her schoolwork.

The 16-year-old has been hard at work on her A-level studies in mathematics, biology and chemistry over the past fortnight since returning from India.

Training and competing for Wales in Delhi meant that the Ilkley teenager missed the first half-term of her studies at Bradford Grammar school.

“I went in for three days after returning from India,” Sian said.

“I just about had time to collect my books and learn what work I had to do, but having a two-week half-term break is helping me to get the work done.”

The school holiday has also coincided with a welcome two-week break from training. Normally Sian would have taken this in August, but because of Welsh team trials, training camps and the games themselves, this was delayed.

Sian, who lives in Valley Drive, Ilkley, resumed her training programme on Monday, which meant getting up at 4.30am and being driven to Shipley pool by her mum Lindsay for a 5am training session.

“I train four mornings a week at Shipley and five evenings a week at Bradford Grammar School,” Sian said.

“It was nice having a break after the games because I was able to go with my parents to visit my sister Catrin at St Andrew’s University in Scotland and last weekend I had a trip to Alton Towers.”

Sian, who learned to swim at Ilkley Pool when she was three years old, has been a member of the City of Bradford Club since she was six.

Since then, the former Moorfield School head girl has progressed rapidly and after winning a gold medal in the 4 x 200-metres freestyle relay for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in Prague last year, she became the first swimmer from her club to be selected for the Commonwealth Games.

Sian has always received strong support from her mother, Lindsay, a local vet, and her father, Richard, who is a dentist in Silsden.

They were both in India cheering her on, but Sian has admitted that she feared she might not be able to compete after qualifying for the Welsh team.

She recalled: “I had to step up my training because I had tapered down for the trials. I was at the Welsh training camp when I started to have pains in a knee.

“I had physio twice a week but it didn’t seem to clear up. I was unable to practise my breaststroke and I thought I wouldn’t be able to do the individual medley. Eventually I was given a steroid injection and the injury settled down.”

Sian was presented with another problem on the first day of swimming.

She said: “I picked up a stomach bug which seemed to be going around among the swimmers. I arrived at the championship pool and was sick in front of about 100 people.

“I was taken to see an Indian doctor and was given two injections. I didn’t feel great but I decided to compete in the 200-metres individual medley.”

Sian’s problems didn’t end there. “I was disqualified for an illegal turn. I don’t really remember what happened, but it certainly wasn’t my best day,” she admitted.

After that things got much better for Sian. She went on to record personal best times in both the 100-metres freestyle and 100-metres butterfly.

“The butterfly was my best performance, but I simply loved being at the games and competing alongside the stars.

“It was also great to meet competitors from other sports and I spent one day watching the athletics. It was all a great experience for me.

“I also got to see what India was like. When I saw some of the shabby houses that people have to live in it made me thankful for what I have got back home in Ilkley.”

The next big event on the horizon is the 2012 Olympics in London but Sian is honest enough to realise that 2016 may be a more realistic chance for her.

“Two years is a long time and a lot can happen. I am just going to work hard and will see what happens.”