AlzainTareq describes competing against adults at the world championships as ‘cool’, her idols are swimming stars Cate Campbell and Sarah Sjostrom — and she’s only 10 years old. The Bahraini caused a splash at the Kazan pool on Friday morning when she raced in the women’s 50m butterfly heats. The tiny Middle Eastern schoolgirl finished last in her heat after swimming 41.13 seconds, nine behind the heat winner, and is believed to be the youngest swimmer to have ever swum at a world championships. Overall, she was 15 secs off the fastest time of 25.43 secs, set by Sjostorm, the world record-holder, who swam in a later heat, and was last of the 64 competitors who raced in the event,AFPreports. Tareq caused a stir in the media mixed zone as reporters clamoured to interview the pint-sized swimmer, who coped admirably with the television cameras’ glare and answered all questions in crystal-clear English. “I’m happy, I feel so happy. It was really cool,” she beamed when asked what it was like to swim against adults here. Swimming’s governing body FINA has confirmed there is currently no age restriction on swimmers competing at either a world championships or an Olympics Games. So the Bahrain schoolgirl, who is her country’s fastest swimmer, has a clear goal, one year from Rio de Janeiro 2016: “I want to swim at the Olympics, but I don’t want to be the last one”. Sjostrom’s world record of 24.43 secs is on her bucket list. “It’s hard for me to beat the world record now, but I can do that when I am older. When I am 15 or 16,” she said. USA star Missy Franklin, who won six worlds gold medals two years ago in Barcelona, is already charmed. “She is so cute and tiny,” said the 20-year-old Franklin. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to her so far, but every time I see her she gives me the biggest smile.”