BOURNEMOUTH disability swimmer Alice Tai has become a British record holder at the tender age of 14.

The Bournemouth Collegiate School academy swimmer sliced half-a-second off Emma Cattle’s S10 category record from 2009 as she won the 100m backstroke in 1:12.55.

The also provided one of the six gold medals won by Tai at the DSE Youth Short Course Championships in Sheffield.

She also won the S10 50, 100 and 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 100m individual medley.

Tai, who is considered a serious contender for a trip to the 2016 Paralympic Games in South America, said: “I was quite shocked to achieve the time that I did in the 100m backstroke, particularly after a hard week’s training.

“At the British International in Leeds this week, I would like to get as close to the long course record as I can.”

Adam Parfitt, her coach at BCS, said: “The times Alice has been swimming are really exciting considering she is still in heavy training.

“She has World Championship trials coming up in April, which she will rest for, and I am very excited to see how fast she can swim. She has an outside shot of making the team.”