CHESHIRE pair Liam Clowes and Charlotte Bradbury have won places in the Great Britain team for the European Youth Olympic Festival next month.

Sandbach sprinter Clowes has been selected for the 100m and 200m at the event in Tampere, Finland, from July 18 to 25. Bradbury is a member of Crewe Flyers swimming club.

This year signals the 10th Games, and almost 2,500 athletes, from 49 countries, will take part in nine sports – athletics, cycling, gymnastics, judo, swimming, tennis, basketball, handball and volleyball.

Athletes are aged between 13 and 16, with Great Britain looking to build on their excellent display in 2007, when they finished third in the medal table with 23 – including nine golds.

The Games have also proved to be a springboard to the main Olympics over the years.

Clowes said: "If someone had told me a year ago that I would be in the position to represent Great Britain, I wouldn't have believed them.

"I only took up the sport two years ago through school and they said I was fast, so I was taken to the Cheshire Championships where I won both the 100m and 200m.

"I didn't know much about the sport – I thought 200m was a long-distance event! But earlier this year I heard I had a chance of making the team for the European Youth Olympics and ever since then I've stepped up a gear.

"It means the world to me to represent Great Britain. It is like Christmas come early. I've dreamed of it and didn't think I would achieve it.

"I'd like to get to the finals and maybe get a medal. I'm just going out there to do my very best."

Clowes has been in excellent form this season, claiming a 100m and 200m double in the National Junior League meeting at Telford earlier this month.

Clowes clocked 10.9 and 21.8 respectively to take gold in the A class events.

Bradbury has been making a splash in the pool by taking gold in the 13 years' 50m freestyle at the Cheshire Championships in April.

She followed that up with a silver in the 100m breaststroke at the North West Youth championships in Liverpool last month.