Penarth swimmer Ieuan Lloyd on the crest of a wave! (From Penarth Times)

Penarth swimmer Ieuan Lloyd on the crest of a wave!

7:30am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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PENARTH swimmer Ieuan Lloyd is hoping to ride the crest of a wave all the way to the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tampere, Finland next month.

The 15-year-old City of Cardiff swimmer slashed four seconds off his personal best at the British Championships in March, touching home in 2:04.89 minutes in the 200m individual medley – a new British under-15 record.

That performance prompted Great Britain selectors to sit up and take note, but the Stanwell pupil didn’t stop there and chalked up three more British junior short course records in Newport last month.

Now Ieuan has been given the chance to make his GB debut in Finland next month, and the swimming ace is adamant he will not be returning empty-handed.

“Even though I’ve done things for Wales in the past, this is going to be my first international appearance for Great Britain, which makes it really exciting,” said Ieuan, who broke GB Olympian Liam Tancock’s 100m junior short course record in May.

“I’ve been in really good form this year, clocking a really big personal best at the British Championships – I think I save my best performances for the big events because I just love to compete.

“I know the standard in Finland will be higher than anything I’m used to, but I’ve been looking at the best times and I’m ranked second so I know there’s a really good chance of a medal.

“It’s obviously all going to be great experience for me and to get picked was the big goal for this year but now that I have been picked I really want to get a medal – hopefully gold.”

While honing his skills in Cardiff, Ieuan has been sharing the pool with fellow medley specialist and Commonwealth and Olympic swimmer Thomas Haffield of Neath.

With the 2010 Commonwealth Games just 16 months away, and having cemented his place in the top two 200m medley swimmers in Wales, Ieuan is already dreaming of making the trip to New Delhi.

“It’s great to have someone like Tom around who has been to the Olympics and is also a medley swimmer,” he added.

“The EYOF was the big one for me this year and then looking ahead to next year, it’s the Commonwealth Games.

“I need to take about three seconds off my personal best to make sure but as long as I can stay in the top two in Wales I should be alright.”

Lloyds TSB is providing £1,000 to over 270 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. Visit: www.Lloydstsb.com/Localheroes

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