Islington swimmer gets Olympic dream grant

People living in flats to rent in Islington may be interested to hear that a young swimmer in the area has received a grant from the local council to help him achieve his Olympic dream.

Harry Needs from Lever Street, Finsbury, is the first recipient of a grant from Islington Sporting Future, a scheme set up by Islington Council and Sport Islington.

As part of this grant, specialist property developer Mount Anvil will provide Harry with £1,000 of funding, while a further £500 will come from Sport Islington.

This will allow the 19-year-old to pay for the training facilities he needs to reach his peak level of performance.

Harry, who now specialises in butterfly, grew up near Islington's Ironmonger Row Baths where he first swam at the age of three.

As he got older, he took lessons and later became a swimming club member.

Soon he will compete in the trials for next year's London Olympics, which means he will be in the pool by 06:00 BST most mornings, training for a total of six to eight hours a week.

"I knew swimming was for me from a very early age, and I've never lost my love for the sport," said Harry. "Funding like this really, really does help - I can't express enough how much of a difference it makes to me at the stage I'm at."

Councillor Catherine West, leader of Islington Council, described Harry as an exceptionally talented young lad with the dedication required to make it at the very highest level.

"He's an inspiration to everyone and I'm very pleased we can support him - we want to make sure Islington's talented youngsters get the best start they can. I wish him all the best for his training," she added.

Last month, the Platform Festival in Islington celebrated youth artists in the area.

Posted by  Martyn Glynn

Published 23rd August, 2011

© 2011 Estates IT Limited