Local heroes: Scott Quin makes his mark in Berlin pool

Determination bursting from the seams, his progression in the pool has coincided with his decision to transfer to the prestigious Warrender Swim Club almost three years ago.

The Telford College student has just returned from the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) Swimming European Championships in Berlin, having achieved fifth place in the final of the 100 metres breaststroke event in addition to a season's best time in the 100m backstroke. Quin, 21, competes under the S14 rule, a specific category for participants who suffer from learning difficulties. However, Quin also has tunnel vision causing a slight impairment in both his right and left eye.

Reflecting on his time in the German capital, it was an experience that has left him hungry for more.

He said: "I was really happy with what I managed to achieve. Breaking a new time record and just missing out on a medal is pretty good for my first major international event. I put my heart and soul into the competition so I feel really pleased.

"It was great to go to Berlin and the facilities were superb, but the arena was quite daunting, which made me a bit nervous. It took a while for it to sink in that I had been selected for the Great Britain squad and it certainly hit home once I was there."

Quin was introduced to his local leisure centre through his mother, Eileen, as a young boy where he enrolled with the Loanhead Dolphins. However, with the success of medals becoming a regular outcome at local and national events, as well as rewriting the Scottish record books for disability swimming, Quin had simply outgrown the club he had been a part of for ten years.

"I've always enjoyed swimming but I knew I had to move on to a bigger stage and increase my training schedule if I wanted to make something of it. I was training with a disability club and I've got a lot to thank them for as well. But my three coaches there encouraged me to leave and that's when I went for trials with Warrender. It did take me a while to adjust to the faster pace of the swimmers around me but I gradually caught up, with my level of fitness also increasing quite substantially."

Quin is extremely forthcoming in showing his gratitude to his family and believes their love and support has been paramount to his development, not solely in the pool but the pressures of everyday life. Currently undertaking an HND in Sports Coaching Development, with a desire to form a career as a swimming mentor himself, not even the encouragement of his college peers to sample the city's student night scene can divert him off his aspirations.

He said: "My mum and dad are very supportive of me and have helped me so much along the way.Even my grandmother saves up pennies for me so I've been very fortunate.

"You do have to make sacrifices and going out at night with my friends is one I have made. I'm up so early for training in the morning, I need to be feeling fresh but you have to show your commitment to the cause. But I have my goals and I don't want anything to come between them."

With the British ASA Youth Championships in Sheffield on the horizon, intense competition is once again just around the corner. With a resurgence of confidence instilled from his time in Berlin, Quin can now envisage a future of international swimming competition.

"I have a few hopes for the future. I'd love to be part of the world championships, the Paralympics next year or the Commonwealth Games in 2014. I don't know how long I will be able to compete at this level but you have to set yourself objectives. I have a fall-back plan where I'd love to be involved in coaching so as long as I'm involved with swimming in some capacity then I'll be happy."