RAWTENSTALL teenage swimming star Tom Hamer is aiming to return to Brazil for the 2016 Olympics after claiming three gold medals at an event in Sao Paulo.

The 16-year-old Alder Grange student travelled to South America for the School Games as part of a six-strong British Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme squad and secured gold in the 200m freestyle, the 100m breaststroke and the 200m individual medley.

That came hot on the heels of his feats at the National Short Course Championships in Manchester, when he collected four gold medals and set a new British record in the 200m freestyle.

Tom had previously set a British record in July to win a silver medal in the Para-sport S14 200M freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

He now has his sights set on making the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.

Tom is officially classified as an S14 swimmer by the International Paralympic Committee.

There are categories of disability from S1-S15, which range from people with missing limbs, to learning disabilities to deaf swimmers.

Tom is studying an A level in Art and Design and extra Maths and English, and attends Alder Grange one day a week.

“Studying just one day a week means there’s a lot to fit in and there’s plenty of homework, but all the teachers have been very supportive which helps,” he said.

“I’ve just got to make sure I plan stuff better as I’m not that organised.”

When he’s not at Alder Grange, Tom has a busy training schedule at the National Performance Centre (NPC) in Manchester with his coach, Olympic bronze medallist Graeme Smith.

“I work out in the gym for an hour and then two hours swimming in the morning,” he said.

“Then the same again in the afternoon. My mum takes me every day and picks me up at night, so my family are really supportive.”

He has been swimming since the age of 10 at Burnley Aquatics, and then joined Burnley Bobcats where he has been every since.

“I love swimming and I just want to see where it takes me,” Tom said.

Joanna Griffiths, Head of School at Alder Grange, said: “We’re really proud of Tom and everything he has achieved.

“We want to continue to support him in his quest for success at the next Olympics in Rio, so we were more than happy to put together a personalised timetable for him.”