A former elite swimmer who says she experienced bullying and abusive behaviour from a coach during her teenage years has transformed her difficult experiences into a mission to help others rediscover confidence and enjoyment in the water.

Rebecca Wetten, who relocated to Bristol three years ago, began swimming competitively at just nine years old and quickly rose through the ranks. Her early success included winning medals at national level competitions and representing Great Britain during her teenage years achievements that once made swimming a central part of her identity.

But despite her success in the pool, Wetten says her relationship with the sport changed dramatically during adolescence after a change in coaching staff. She describes entering what she viewed as an intense and highly pressured environment that affected both her confidence and enjoyment of the sport.

According to Wetten, competitive swimming culture at the time often involved strict coaching approaches and strong favouritism, creating an atmosphere she says became increasingly difficult to navigate as a young athlete.

Now aged 33, Wetten has channelled those experiences into creating an app designed to encourage healthier relationships with swimming and physical activity. Her goal is to help people reconnect with the positive side of the sport something she describes as helping users “find the high” through movement, community and wellbeing rather than pressure or performance.

Her story highlights growing conversations around athlete welfare, coaching standards and mental health in competitive sport, particularly for young athletes navigating high-pressure environments.