Gould was born in Cardiff, Wales and was a member of the Roath Park Swimming Club of Cardiff and in 1933 was the Welsh junior diving champion at just 11-years-old.[3]
Gould impressed throughout 1933 and the early part of 1934 and in June 1934 was selected for preliminary trials for the 1934 British Empire Games team[4] At the age of 12,[5] she subsequently represented the Welsh team[6] at the 1934 British Empire Games in London, where she helped Wales finish fifth in the 4 × 100 yards freestyle relay, with Irene Evans, Valerie Davies and Jeanne Greenland.[7]
In 1936, she set a new Welsh junior record of 70 3-5 sec over the freestyle course[8] and in 1937 won the Welsh backstroke title.[9] Gould was a Welsh winner of the prestigious Taff Swim held in Roath Park Lake in 1938.[10]
