DORSET will have two swimmers at the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 2002 following the England selection of Jacob Peters and Alice Tai.

At 17, Poole’s Peters is the youngest man on the 39-strong team and will be one of the youngest to swim for England at this level.

It will be his first senior major event although he made two finals at the World Junior Championship in August.

The Dorset star, who is studying A-levels in maths, physics and biology at Poole Grammar School, said: “I’m still quite shocked. I don’t think it will hit me until I’m stepping on the plane.”

Peters’s British 17yrs age group record of 1:57.16 for the 200m butterfly ranks him eighth in the Commonwealth behind such illustrious names as Chad le Clos of South Africa and Singapore’s Joseph Schooling, who both beat Michael Phelps to win Olympic gold medals.

The youngster’s record is almost a second quicker than the 18yrs record.

He added: “I would like to make a final in Australia, lower my time to 1:56 and perhaps do a decent 100m heat swim in the medley relay to help England get to the final.

“That would be a successful Games for me.”

Peters’s selection was announced just 24 hours before Poole’s annual presentation night, where he was given a standing ovation after receiving the club’s male swimmer-of-the-year trophy.

Head coach Barry Alldrick, who was too emotional to complete his speech, told the Daily Echo: “I’m ecstatic.

“Jacob met every target we set and did a peak performance at every major meet.

“I would like to get his time down to 1:55, which was what Michael Phelps was doing at his age.”

Alldrick has also kept a close eye on Tai, as he was her first head coach at Christchurch-based Seagulls 10 years ago.

Tai, who will be 19 later this month, joined Bournemouth Collegiate School’s swimming academy before moving to Britain’s para-swimming performance centre in Manchester aged 16.

Since 2014, she has won medals at European, world and Paralympic level including relay gold and individual bronze at Rio 2016.

She said: “For me, being on a Commonwealth Games team is a lot more exciting than worlds and Europeans because it’s a mix of sports and able-bodied and para-sport together.”

Tai, who still competes as a BCS swimmer, is favourite to win the S9 100m backstroke in which she holds the world record.

She is expected to be challenged by Australia’s Ellie Cole, who is ranked second in that but ahead of Tai in the 100m freestyle.

Swim Bournemouth’s Jay Lelliott was the last Dorset swimmer in the Commonwealth Games, reaching the 1500m freestyle final at Glasgow 2014.

He missed out on a second Games despite winning the 400m and 1500m freestyle last month.

Ferndown Otters’ Karen Legg swam in the 1998 and 2002 Games, winning five medals at Manchester 2002.

Her club-mate Emma Hirst - now Emma Richards, one of Poole’s coaches - represented her native Jersey. Former Otter Holly Fox also swam for England in 2002.