Seb Reeve a star of the future after making a splash in international artistic swimming
Rising star Seb Reeve is making waves in the world of artistic swimming having returned from a showpiece international event with two medals.
Reeve, who is just 10, claimed a gold and silver medal on his debut at the International Artistic Swimming Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
The swimming sensational, who is from Wellington and attends Dothill Primary School, took the competition by storm to add to his burgeoning reputation as one of the nation's finest prospects in the discipline.
Reeve won a silver medal in the men's solo category, swimming up an age group at under-12s. The youngster led after the first solo round, but secured silver having been edged out by New Zealand's Howard Zheng, the 12-year-old champion from New Zealand.
But the school pupil struck gold when switching discipline to the mixed duet category - also under-12s - where he and partner Teal Sutton came out on top.
The duo - who together hold the British under-12 national title - swam to fight off stiff international competition to claim gold. The showpiece competition included more than 700 athletes representing 17 nations.
Reeve said: “It was an incredible experience to compete on an international stage for the first time."
Reeve, who trains at City of Birmingham Synchro Club, hopes to inspire other boys to take up the sport, which he became passionate for partly in thanks to mum Zoe's background as a British champion. The schoolboy was also inspired by the recent inclusion of men in Olympic artistic swimming.
He added: “I hope this inspires more boys to give artistic swimming a go.”
Reeve, who started swimming aged just two and took up the artistic element at seven, is a three-time national champion. He is also the youngest member of England's Youth Development Squad.
In under a year in the artistic discipline Reeve became the youngest swimmer to ever qualify for and win a medal in a national championship. Later this month he will take part in an English development camp for the first time.
He is also an international water safety ambassador for Swimming Teachers' Association (STA), where he promotes essential swimming skills and water safety across the UK.
Reeve also competes in gymnastics to a national standard and represents Telford's Park Wrekin Gymnastics Club. He is bidding to qualify for November's Men’s National Setwork finals in Telford.
Proud mum Zoe said: “I’m in awe at his achievements at such a young age. His commitment and dedication to the training, and the way he has handled the pressure of competing internationally, is admirable.”
