SOUTH Hams swimming starlet Megan Bowen, 14, has been in all-conquering form in the pool as she prepares for next month's Olympic swimming trials, writes Euan Reedie.

The Ivybridge Community College ace has won a number of top events ahead of the trials, which will be held between March 3 and 10 in the London 2012 swimming pool.

Ivybridge's Bowen will be taking part in the 100m, 400m and 800m events at the qualification event, which doubles up as the British Swimming Championships.

She is one of three swimmers in the South Hams – the others being Aaron Rickhuss, 19, of East Charleton and 15-year-old Laker Wong, who lives in Kingsbridge – who are heading to the trials.

Bowen's mother Sandy said: 'Megs has had a number of competitions this season – the Cardiff City Open, Exeter City Open, Western Counties Short Course Championships and Leander Open – and has won gold in all of her main events, managing to beat some top competition in the process. Just the other weekend she competed at the South of England Zonal meet at Millfields and won two more titles, becoming the 400m and 800m champion. She also swam the fastest 200m in her age group by quite a few seconds, but did not swim the final as the 800m was straight after; her heat time was faster than the eventual winning time also. She managed to achieve all her national qualifying times in her first swims of the season, and so is all set to compete in Sheffield this July at the Nationals.'

However, Bowen has been laid low by a throat and chest infection recently, but Sandy added that it was hoped she'd recover 'in the next week or so'.

Then, it will be a case of getting in shape for the Olympic trials, which Sandy said will understandably be 'a massive event for her'.

But the pressure won't be too intense on the teenager, she insisted, adding: 'It's really all about the experience, swimming at that level with all the big names and in front of such a huge crowd. She's naturally very nervous, but also excited.

'We're hoping that she'll be able to put in some good performances that set her up for the Nationals in Sheffield in July – this is not about qualifying for Olympics etc at this stage, but about good performances.' Life for an aspiring sportswoman involves a non-stop treadmill of competitions and training and Bowen will certainly have little time to rest after her capital experience.

She will be off to Spain with the England Junior Performance squad for another week-long training camp at Easter.

This will help her prepare for this summer's National Age Group Championships

The Dinnaton Swimming Club swimmer was chosen for the performance development squad following her three age-group gold medals at the National Age Group Championships held at Ponds Forge in Sheffield in July last year.

The teenager recorded victories in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, and also secured an unexpected silver in the 100m.

In 2010, she won bronze medals in the 1,500m and 800m freestyle in her first-ever national competition at Sheffield.

She also qualified for eight different disciplines, reaching the finals of the 200m freestyle.

Now she's eyeing England selection on the way to hopefully fulfilling her ultimate ambition: a place at the Olympics.

Speaking last year, Bowen said: 'I would be so happy if I was picked to represent England in a competition; it would prove that the hard training is worth it. My goal at the moment is to make the next Commonwealth Games in 2014 and my ultimate ambition is to make the Olympics.

'I look up to Rebecca Adlington as she is a distance swimmer and because of her amazing achievements.'

Bowen is part of the Ivybridge Community College swimming academy, which trains at Dinnaton Swimming Club under the guidance of Alan Rooker.

The coach, who helped double Olympic gold medallist Adlington with her land-based training earlier in her career, said: 'She's done really well and she's got all the attributes to succeed.

'If she keeps fit, who knows what she could do?

'She's very driven but she's got to keep her feet on the ground and knuckle down.'