Teenage sisters Astrid and Ursula Carroll are preparing to debut at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, representing different nations. Seventeen-year-old Astrid, born in Edinburgh, will compete for Scotland, while her 14-year-old sibling Ursula, born in Halifax, swims for England.
The two sisters, both diagnosed with the rare degenerative eye condition Stargardt disease, will face each other in the women’s 100m freestyle S13 heats. Although they regularly train together at the Stockport Metro Swimming Club, this event marks their first competitive race against one another. Due to Commonwealth regulations, all visually impaired athletes are grouped into a single category, allowing the two siblings to go head-to-head.
Astrid, who secured silver and bronze medals at the 2025 Para-swimming World Championships in Singapore, has developed specific techniques to navigate her vision loss, including stroke counting and utilizing tappers for guidance. Ursula, the youngest member of the English squad, views her older sister as a significant inspiration and a reliable source of support as she navigates her own path in competitive swimming.
While the siblings share a humorous rapport at home, they acknowledge the competitive nature of the upcoming event. They are set to compete in freestyle races, and despite Astrid’s success in other strokes, she notes that Ursula holds an advantage in the front crawl. Both athletes are eager to transform their sibling dynamic into a high-level sporting rivalry as they represent their respective home nations on the international stage.
