PROMISING swimmer Adam Preece is one of the county's young sportsmen benefiting from financial support from Herefordshire-based not-for-profit organisation, Ready, Steady, Win.

The 16-year-old Hereford Sixth Form College student has gained extra confidence from being recognised by an organisation which provides bursaries for young and talented sports men and women in Herefordshire.

Adam (pictured in action) will be striving to maintain the outstanding form he produced last year when he consistently won races and recorded personal best times.

The Hereford swimmer's dedication and hard work certainly paid off because he gained selection for both the South West of England Youth Development Programme and the Gloucester County team.

But Adam's major achievement last year was securing triple junior champion status in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly at the Gloucester County Championships.

In June, he finished second in the 100m backstroke and second in the 100m butterfly in the first round of the English Schools Swimming Association, ahead of opponents two years older.

He qualified for the divisional trials for selection of the Midlands team for the National Championship.

Adam swam brilliantly in the first round of the club championships and was selected to represent the Midlands in the 100m backstroke, individual medley relay and the freestyle relay at the National Championships in October.

But in the build-ups to the National Championships he became ill with flu-like symptoms, finishing 10th in the final of the 100m backstroke.

Adam also achieved three silver, two bronze and another three personal best times at the Hereford Open Meet and rounded off the year with a silver medal in the 100m butterfly at the Western Counties Championships in December.

"Ready, Steady, Win has helped me in more ways than one and, with technology in sport advancing all the time, the bursary has enabled me to buy Fastskin leggings which utilises the dynamics of sharks skin," he said. "It has made a noticeable difference to my finishing times. It has also enabled me to buy goggles and training pants, as well as contributing towards my training costs."

Adam added: "Ready, Steady, Win has also given me extra confidence and an added incentive to perform well. Being recognised by the organisation has shown me that my commitments and achievements have been recognised and supported."