Ben Grainger has been selected to be part of the swimming squad at the 2017 School Games National Finals at Loughborough University.

The integrated multi-sport event is for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes and will take place from August 31 to September 3.

The 14-year-old Ramsey Grammar School student, a member of Isle of Man Swimming Club, will compete for the England North squad.

He already has an impressive record of success, having reached the final of the men’s 400m freestyle event at the British Para-Swimming International Meet, and has a personal best of 28.68sec for 50m freestyle.

Around 1,600 athletes will compete across 12 sports at the School Games, seven of which include disability disciplines. The four-day event is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.

Ben will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the School Games before going on to senior international success.

Previous competitors include Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and GB sprinter Adam Gemili.

The School Games are the springboard for future athletes: 56 of the 382 athletes representing Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio competed at the School Games.

At the event, Ben will experience the excitement of competing at the highest level. He will live in a dedicated Athletes’ Village on the Loughborough University campus, take part in an opening ceremony and perform in front of huge crowds of spectators.

’In 2012 I was a shy person and was very aware of my disability,’ said Ben. ’When I watched the London Paralympics I was amazed to see people like me competing, so I made it my goal to become a Paralympic swimmer.’