WISBECH teenager Liam Knight qualified for six national finals and achieved a series of personal best times at the national age group swimming championships in Sheffield. The 14-year-old was competing in the toughest event of his life over five gruelling

WISBECH teenager Liam Knight qualified for six national finals and achieved a series of personal best times at the national age group swimming championships in Sheffield.

The 14-year-old was competing in the toughest event of his life over five gruelling days and finished 11th.

Knight's best performance came in the 200m backstroke.

He swam 2:13.81 in his heat and finished fifth in the final with a PB of 2:12.15.

His father, Ian Knight said: "This time was well above anybody of Liam's age in the eastern region.

"He was under a lot of mental pressure but really came through to swim at an excellent standard.

"It was a fantastic learning experience for him."

Knight, swimming for City of Peterborough, started with PBs in the 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke.

In the 100m backstroke final Knight reduced his PB to 1:02.15 finishing sixth but only half a second from bronze medal position.

Knight finished seventh in the 200m breaststroke final

The second day saw Knight achieve a PB of 57.09 in the 100m freestyle. He qualified for the 200m individual medley final, finishing sixth with a PB of 2:16.24.

He competed in three events on day four; recording 2:04.63 in the 200m freestyle, 1:01.18 in the 100m butterfly and qualifying for the 100m breaststroke final, where he finished eighth with a PB of 1:12.88.

The final day saw Knight compete in the energy-sapping 400m individual medley.

He achieved an eight-second PB in the heats before slashing another two seconds off this in the final coming fifth with 4.50.

Knight is one of 20 swimmers from the eastern region to be selected for next year's Swimming Youth National Talent Programme, where he will receive specialist coaching.

He is now enjoying some well-earned rest before the new swimming season starts next month, not least because during the five days of competition he lost a stone in weight.