SWIMMER Matt Richards, a student at Worcester’s Bishop Perowne Church of England College, has his sights set firmly on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He may be only 11 and 5ft 2ins tall but this boy from Droitwich is already ranked number two in the United Kingdom for his age and, at 31.31secs, has the 12th-fastest time ever in the UK in the 50m butterfly by an 11-year-old.

More impressively, his time was the fastest ever for a Welsh boy — Matt’s dad is Welsh and he has chosen Wales as his country of repre - sentation. He achieved these results at Worcester Swimming Club’s 18th Open Meet.

He said: “I just love swimming, es - pecially butterfly. I used to do rugby and tae kwon do but had to give it up to concentrate on swimming. I want to try and get to the 2020 Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast.”

Matt started swimming lessons at the age of five at Droitwich Leisure Centre and then joined the Droitwich Dolphins Swimming Club before moving to Worcester Swimming Club in 2013 where he made 15 county times out of 18 for the 2014 Championships.

This season he has already achieved all 18 events for the 2015 Championships in March.

At half-term the Worcester club held its open meet, which saw 280 swimmers compete from clubs as far afield as Lincolnshire, Stafford - shire and Somerset.

Matt took part in nine events and won five silver and four bronze medals. He was just pipped into sec - ond place by his friend Will Gearey from Pershore Swimming Club in the 50m butterfly.

Bishop Perowne C of E College headteacher Julie Farr awarded him a headteacher’s commendation for outstanding sporting achieve - ment for his efforts.

She said: “Matt is an asset to our college, a true ‘Bishop’s boy’,who gives his best in all he does and is exceptionally well-mannered.”

Matt has just been selected for the West Midlands talent camp in De - cember and January and it is hoped this will lead him to the Welsh National Championships in 2015 and possibly the British National Championships, which has the top 24 swimmers in the UK. He said: “Recently the ASA changed its sys - tem of the national championships for the whole of the UK and because my birthday is on December 17 this will mean I could be swimming but - terfly against children 11 months older than me.”

Is he worried?

“No I’m not worried. Nobody has ever been picked for an Olympics at 11 years old! This change gives me a challenge to keep working against as I try to achieve my long- term goal. If I’m going to make it in swimming I am going to have to race against the best around. This is part of that.”