POOLE’S Barry Alldrick, Jacob Peters and Jazz McCrea fly to Helsinki on Sunday with at least two of them hoping the England football team can inspire international swimming success.

While McCrea admits to having no interest in the beautiful game, fellow swimmer Peters and coach Alldrick say England’s flying start in Russia has sharpened their competitive instincts ahead of the European Junior Championship.

Peters said: “The football is inspiring – especially the Panama game. It makes you feel patriotic and proud of your country.”

By the time the five-day swimming showdown kicks off on Wednesday, July 4, fans will know whether England have made it to the World Cup quarter-finals.

“If they have, I think it will be inspirational to England fans in the British junior team – although we might rub it in the faces of our Scottish and Welsh team-mates,” Peters added.

The 17-year-old is one of Britain’s best medal prospects in Finland after a year in which he has reached individual finals in both the world juniors and the Commonwealth Games, where he also won a medley relay silver medal with England.

As well as swimming all three butterfly events, the British age group record holder will be a key player in the men’s and mixed medley relays – events for which Alldrick has been given coaching responsibility.

McCrea, 16, is hoping to improve on the 50m freestyle and butterfly semi-finals she reached last year and may also feature in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

“Last year was my international debut but this time I’m more relaxed because I know what’s going to happen,” she said.

The Poole trio will make history in Helsinki as the first Dorset threesome to represent Britain at the European Junior Championship.

Peters and McCrea are also the first duo from a Dorset club since Bournemouth Dolphins’ Charlotte Evans and Seth Chappels competed in Dunkirk in 2000.

Alldrick added: “I’m super proud to have two swimmers on this team and to be one of the coaches myself.

“Jacob has a good chance of medals in all his events and Jazz is not too far away based on recent form.”

• Robbie Hemmings and Hugo Young both became national champions at the Prep School Championship in the Olympic pool.

Dumpton School’s Hemmings, coached by Poole SC, struck gold for the third year running as he won the u/13 25m butterfly in 12.84 at the London Aquatics Centre.

Yarrells pupil Young, trained by Swim Bournemouth, stormed to victory in the u/10 25m backstroke in 16.98sec.

His Yarrells team-mate Lauren Corn, another Poole swimmer, came within 0.18sec of a podium place as she touched fourth in the u/13 50m freestyle in 28.61.

Dumpton’s Amelia and Grace Chaffey, Iris Courtney and Maya Doubleday were fifth in the u/12 medley relay and sixth in the freestyle.

Courtney was also seventh in the u/12 50m backstroke and Grace Chaffey ninth in the 50m breaststroke.

For Yarrells, Jayden Coombes came 11th in the u/10 25m butterfly while Polly Ghandour was 15th in the u/10 25m breaststroke.

Ellie Roper finished 16th in the u/12 50m breaststroke and Young, Coombes, Josh Oxley and Luca Rivero 15th in the boys’ u/10 medley relay.