He is one of only four boys in his age group to be selected to compete for the County at the swimming event next weekend.

James, from Year 9, is a member of Kettering Amateur Swimming Club, where he trains several times a week during evenings and weekends. He specialises in breast stroke and was selected based on his national ranking. He has been swimming since he was three, joined a club aged seven and now has a personal best time of 33.40 for 50m breast stroke which ranks him within the Top 10 in England.

He said: ‘It is the first time I have represented the county and I feel very proud.’