THREE South Hams' swimmers have flown the flag for the district at the London 2012 swimming trials – and one of them also enjoyed county success the day after his race!

Teenagers Megan Bowen, 14, who is from Ivybridge, Kingsbridge's 15-year-old prospect Laker Wong and Aaron Rickhuss, 19, who is from East Charleton near Kingsbridge, have competed at the British Swimming Championships at the London Aquatics Centre.

Although none of them qualified for the British swimming team for this summer's global sporting extravaganza, the talented triumvirate were greatly inspired by the experience of a lifetime they enjoyed.

And on Sunday, just a day after he'd competed in the 100m breaststroke event, Wong was crowned junior champion in the 50m breaststroke at the Devon County Championships.

Wong had come 56th out of a top-quality British and international field of 58, although two competitors were disqualified, in a time of 1:09.73.

This was 0.96 seconds outside his personal-best time, said his coach at Kingsbridge Kingfishers Swimming Club, Karen Dorey.

Dorey, who travelled to London with Laker, his family and a clutch of Kingfishers' teammates to cheer him on, added: 'Laker swam very well – he didn't set a personal best, but was quite close to it. He had a difficult heat, seeded to swim in an outside lane with the middle-lane swimmers seeded on much faster times than him.

'More importantly, it was a fantastic experience. The pool is beautiful. The event is run exactly the way the Olympics will be run. It was great to walk past world champions, Olympic hopefuls and famous faces in the corridors and on poolside. I think it has given Laker a real boost and has made him more ambitious about his swimming. He wants to hold the number one spot in Britain in the 100m breaststroke in the future.'

Rickhuss, himself a former Kingsbridge Kingfishers' swimmer, who is now at Plymouth Leander, finished 47th out of 78 competitors in the 100m freestyle trials on Tuesday in a time of 51.59.

This was the 21st best time of the Brits competing in the event.

Rickhuss admitted he was slightly disappointed with his swim, having hoped to have gone under 50 seconds.

He said: 'It's all on the day and it just wasn't my day, but I am looking forward to getting back to training and competing at the National Championships in June. I'd like to thank everyone for their constant support; it helps me so much.'

His mother Jo added: 'I am incredibly proud of Aaron's achievements to date. To see him compete at the Olympic pool was very special, especially as he has only just moved up to senior level.'

She went on to say: 'They say any great athlete needs 10 years hard training and experience behind them before they achieve their ultimate goal, so the Olympics in 2016 will work out just right.'

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Ivybridge Community College youngster Megan Bowen was due to compete in the 800m freestyle event yesterday after taking part in the 400m freestyle heats on Sunday and the 100m freestyle event on Wednesday.

In the 400m freestyle heats, Dinnaton Swimming Club star Bowen came 41st out of a field of 52 in a time of 4:28.33.

Then, in the 100m freestyle heats on Wednesday, the talented teenager finished 70th out of 73 competitors in a time of 59.20, a season's best performance.

After the 100m heats on Wednesday, Bowen said: 'It was brilliant to come out to the crowd, really exciting. Yes, I felt incredibly nervous, but more excited this time than when I raced on Sunday. The pool is so fantastic and the atmosphere when we came out was great.'

She added: 'I was really pleased to swim another season's best, and am really looking forward to my main event, the 800 free. Hopefully I'll be able to put in another good time.'

Although Bowen did not qualify for the British swimming team in both events earlier this week, she's revelled in the 'unique experience' of an unforgettable occasion, said her mother Sandy.