SWIM Bournemouth’s Blaize Kenny has taken the first step on the road to Rio after being invited to join a national talent programme for disability swimmers.

The Verwood 11-year-old has been selected for the ASA Disability Swimming Spotlight Programme, which aims to identify and support youngsters with potential for future Paralymic Games.

Kenny, who started his swimming with Ringwood Seals before following his twin brother Harley to Swim Bournemouth, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 18 months old.

“The condition means he has right-side hemaplegia – so everything on his right side is affected,” said his mum, Tasha Kenny.

“He is also epileptic. But swimming is very good for him.”

Blaize began competing 18 months ago but has been waiting since August last year for an official disability classification.

He was recently classified as an S10 swimmer plus SB9 for breaststroke and SM10 for individual medley.

This, coupled with his performances over the last year or so, has led to the invitation from the ASA and British Swimming.

“He has swum in disability meets before but couldn’t accept medals because he didn’t have a classification,” said Tasha.

Earlier this month Blaize came third against able-bodied swimmers of the same age in the 400m freestyle at the Dorset Development Meet at Littledown, where he also won the award for the most improved swimmer in the 100m individual medley.

He also won five gold medals in Swim Bournemouth’s Summer Sprints, where he competed against the club’s two other disability swimmers.

Blaize learned of his selection for the Spotlight Programme in a letter from Craig Nicholson, British Disability Swimming’s talent delivery and co-ordination manager.

“The programme will provide opportunities for you and your coach to develop your potential talent and progress along the swimmer pathway,” says the letter.

“As an athlete on the Spotlight Programme, both you and your coach will be given opportunities to develop your potential talent and progress along the swimmer pathway.”

Blaize has already had a visit from a disability swimming development officer, who attended his training session at Ferndown last Friday.

“From the Spotlight Programme, he will hopefully move on to the Podium Programme – he can’t do that until he is 12,” Tasha added.

The Bournemouth area already has one S10 swimmer with high hopes of making Rio and later Paralympics.

Bournemouth Collegiate School’s Alice Tai has already broken British S10 records and is on the Podium Programme.