PENARTH swim sensation Ieuan Lloyd has capped a memorable 2012 by  winning Welsh Junior Sportsman of the Year!
The former Stanwell student, who competed at the London Olympics earlier this year in both the 200m Freestyle - where he narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals - and the 4X200m Relay, as part of the team which finished sixth, was announced as the winner of the award at the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2012 at the Millennium Stadium on Monday (December 10).
But busy competing in the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships in Turkey this week, Ieuan was unable to be there to pick up the award himself.
So the honour went to his parents, David and Rachel, who were more than happy to accept the award on his behalf.
His proud dad said they were "thrilled" for him.
"He's put in a lot of work over the years and its nice to see him get the recognition of the award," he said.
"I wanted to thank his parents but we were the ones accepting his award!"
"Ieuan would have enjoyed the ceremony," he added.
"It's nice to feel that he's one of that group now.
"I sent him a text to let him know that he had won and he was obvioulsy delighted."
Last November, 19-year-old Ieuan also broke fellow Penarth schoolboy David Davies' Welsh records in both the 200m and 400m Freestyle during the Short Course World Cup meet in Tokyo.
His mum Rachel said it had been an "amazing year".
"What with qualifying for the Olympics, winning the award at the end of the year is a fantastic achievement," she said.
"The ceremony was really exiting and there was lots of people there.
"It's just a shame that Ieuan couldn't make it."
She also said she was still trying to come to terms with IeuanÕs rapid success.
"It's like a dream really, leaving school and qualifying for the Olympics, swimming in that final where Michael Phelps won the history making most Olympic medals and became the most decorated Olympian of all time," she added.
Ieuan is set to feature in the 400m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley and 100m Freestyle in Turkey.
His dad said the championships would add experience of the Olympics.
"It's about getting him the experience and hopefully he can swim good times," he said.
"His next big target is the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
"He will certainly be wanting to aim for a medal there."
During the awards night Taekwondo star Jade Jones was named as the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2012, the Welsh rugby union team won Team of the Year.
The Lifetime Achievement award went to Olympic long jump great Lynn Davies and cyclist Elinor Barker was named Junior Sportswoman of the Year.
The BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year event is not connected with the UK Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.

*Ieuan broke his 200m Freestyle Welsh Record in Turkey on Wednesday, and finished fourth in his heat.