As little Janine Belton put her tiny foot in the swimming pool for the first time, little did her parents know that 21 years on she would be on top of the world.

Now Heather and Bob Belton are the proudest parents in Bradford after their only daughter took a gold medal in the World Championship 4x200m freestyle relay.

The road to Japan and success started when Heather took her daughter to the mother and baby swimming classes at Shipley.

It wasn't long before the talented tot no longer needed her arm bands and was crawling across the pool.

"We didn't really think she was doing any better than anyone else but she did start at a very early age and she is a very determined girl," said her dad.

As both parents sit and chat about their champion daughter they are bursting with admiration and can't wait to tell the world about her.

"We never forced her into anything when she was young. We took her to the brownies, ice-skating and she even played hockey. We just wanted to give her a choice."

And Janine obviously made the right one, because the gold is the first won by a British women's team in the 28-year history of the championships.

"We are so proud," said Heather. "It is just a shame we could not have been at her side to see her win."

At the age of 12 Janine decided it was time to put all of her efforts into swimming and began her early morning starts at 5.15am to get to the pool before the school day started.

"I was so glad when I could pass over the car keys to her and let her drive herself," laughed Heather.

"I remember when we would go to the seaside and the first thing she would do was run to the sea to have a swim."

Joking that they would have preferred Janine to have taken up something which required less energy on her part and their own, the beams across both parent's faces showed they wouldn't change it for the world.

"We have been through it all with her. The nerves before big races and especially when she swam her first race in the national competition at Crystal Palace.

It was wonderful to see her race, really great."

One of their most memorable trips with Janine was the Atlanta championships.

"I remember standing up and Janine was looking at me and pointing to the floor. I thought she was telling me to sit down because she was embarrassed.

"I later found out she wanted me to take a picture of her and the Clintons who were sitting just below her!"

Now the pair are waiting for the return of their daughter to congratulate her before whisking her off on a well-deserved holiday.

"I'm not sure whether she's coming with us because she wants to or whether it's because we are paying," joked Bob. "But we can't wait."