Corfe Hills schoolboy in training for Rio Paralympics (From Bournemouth Echo)

Corfe Hills schoolboy in training for Rio Paralympics

12:00pm Thursday 27th December 2012 in News By Diana Henderson

A 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy has set his sights on making a splash at the Rio Paralympics in four years’ time.

Corfe Hills schoolboy George Rogers is training for national and international swimming competitions and has secured vital new sponsorship from Dorset based outdoor adventure company Land & Wave.

He will be supported in his training, entry fees and travel expenses while he competes nationally as part of the Cerebral Palsy England swimming squad.

With a busy schedule of training and competitions, the sponsorship ensures he can compete in events all over the country to progress his swimming career.

Next summer he will take part in the Cerebral Palsy International swimming meet and his ultimate dream is competing in the Paralympics.

“It’s essential I compete and train as much as possible to be in with a shot of being picked for the Paralympics in 2016,” said George, who trains at Canford School.

“Having a sponsor like Land & Wave takes the pressure off my family and means I can enter all of the big swim meets and improve my personal best.”

Last month he represented West Dorset Warriors for the third time running at the Disability Regional Championships at Bristol and qualified for the national finals.

Swimming against 15 competitors across four races he won a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle and was sixth in the 100m breaststroke.

He met Owen Senior, director of the Poole-based company on a residential adventure course last year where he took part in kayaking, raft building and team building.

Owen described him as an “extremely driven athlete” who he was sure would achieve great success and who they were very happy to support.

“Even in the current economic climate it’s vital that local companies support their communities however possible,” he said.

Proud mum Sam said: “With the help from Land & Wave, we’re now able to travel to events we couldn’t afford to attend before.

“George can now look forward to competing at all the meets he needs to and won’t miss out.

“We take each race at a time, but it’s exciting to think about the success that could lie ahead for George.”