POOLE swimmer Leo McCrea is hoping to secure his place at next year’s Paralympics with a top-two finish at the World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester this weekend.

Qualifying for Manchester by setting a personal best at the British Para Swim championship in March, McCrea hopes to book his spot at the Paralympics in Paris next year with a top-two finish in the 100m breaststroke SB5 classification.

The 19-year-old competes in the final tomorrow evening at 8.46pm.

Representing Switzerland, for whom he is eligible through his mother, McCrea has already one trip to the Paralympics under his belt, finishing in fifth in the same classification at the 2020 Tokyo games.

Into his third appearance at Worlds, McCrea has already competed in one race at this year’s championship, ranking ninth in the men’s 100m freestyle S6.

However, he is expected to fare much better in his favoured breaststroke, aiming for a podium finish once again after picking up silver in Madeira last year.

Born with Achondroplasia, a form of restricted growth, McCrea combines his swimming career with his studies at Bournemouth University, where he began a sports management degree last September.

In the three weeks leading up to the competition, McCrea trained at the Swiss Para swimming team’s high-altitude swim training camp in St Moritz, Switzerland in preparation.