Bicester Blue Fins’ Tom Thornley is heading off to Spain next Thursday after being selected to represent the South East at the Catalonian Open Senior Championships in Barcelona.

The 15-year-old will be part of a 20-strong squad of the best young men and women from Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, based on their performances at the South East ASA Winter Regional Championships last month.

Thornley was selected beca-use of his blistering wins in three backstroke events at Portsmouth.

His 50m win came in a regional record, while his time for the 100m ranked him second in the UK for his age.

His regional mark in the 200m backstroke was also the second fastest time in the UK, also placing him No 2 in the rankings.

The championship also brings in the best swimmers from Spain and will be Thornley’s first international test. He will compete in all three backstroke events and the 100m freestyle.

Thornley learned to swim in Bicester, but really caught the competitive bug while living with his family in Dubai for four years.

On returning to the town in 2011, he quickly established himself as one of Blue Fins’ hottest young talents.

Thornley excelled at county, regional and national level, obtaining the club’s first regional championship medal in 2013, before going on to win the national age group title for the 200m backstroke in a regional record time.

He has also been invited to attend a national ASA talent development programme.

“Tom’s progress has been quite remarkable in the last 12 months,” said head coach Str-uan McNeil.

“He’ll be competing at the British Championships later this year and we’re targeting selection for the Youth Olympics in Georgia, so this test against the best swimmers in Spain will really push him.”

Meanwhile, London 2012 Olympic swimmer and former Bicester Blue Fins’ Craig Gibbons led a training masterclass at the town’s pool.

Gibbons, who was at the club from four-years-old to seven, represented Team GB in the 4x100m freestyle relay in London.