THE daughter of a Saltcoats born man is making a big splash in the world of swimming.

Kyla Alexander, 19, started swimming when she was six-years-old and has never looked back, winning her age group titles three years in a row in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

She has set 50 metre and 100 metre back stroke records for her age group in New Zealand.

The 19-year-old was given a full scholarship to attend the University of Louisville last year and recently moved to the University of Nevada.

Kyla would like to acknowledge her grandparents Robert and Isabella Alexander who stay in the Three Towns for their love, support and guidance and also sends her love to all her family back in Scotland.

In 2013, Kyla visited Saltcoats and trained with the North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming Club at Auchenharvie Leisure Centre as a young 13-year-old.

Her proud dad, James Alexander, left Saltcoats in 1989 to play football in the Australian State League as a semi-professional and moved to New Zealand in 1995.

He said: “Life in New Zealand is amazing – it really is paradise down here and has so many familiarities with Scotland although the climate is much better with jobs in abundance. All my family are back in Saltcoats and I have returned in 1998, 2006 and 2013.”