Swimmer Thomas Young aims to peak at London 2012
Last updated on .From the section Disability Sport
Cumbrian 400m freestyle swimmer Thomas Young believes the London 2012 Paralympic Games will arrive at the perfect time in his career.
Young, 20, who also won gold in the 100m breaststroke at July's European Championships, is the current world champion at his favoured event.
"I'll be 21 when the London Games come around and that's pretty much peak for me," he told BBC Radio Cumbria.
"I'll be hopefully hitting some really fast times there."
Young was close to going to the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games but fell 0.3 seconds short of the qualifying time in the 400m freestyle event.
"I just missed out on Beijing but it was the start of my career so I've risen from that and I'm getting higher and higher in the world rankings," Young added.
"I've moved on and won gold at World Championships in Eindhoven a year ago so hopefully I'll be doing the same again in London."
Young was born with one arm and two club feet, putting him in the S8 category for the freestyle, backstroke and individual medley events, and SB7 classification for breaststroke.
The former Kendal club swimmer has had to move away from family and school friends in pursuit of his Paralympic dream.
He is now based at Manchester Aquatics Centre, where Young helped Team GB secure the Paralympic World Cup Trophy by winning gold in the breaststroke.
Young is currently in training and ready to work hard ahead of the GB swimming trials in April which will take place at the new Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park.
"It's going to be nerve-racking to see what the pool is like, every time I see it on TV it gives me goosebumps so I don't know what it will be like for real."
With a haul of honours behind him, and having seen the medals unveiled at Trafalgar Square it is clear what the Cumbrian has in mind.
"[My aim is] to get on the podium at the home games, hopefully singing the national anthem with gold," Young said.
International Paralympic Day takes place on 8 September ahead of the release of tickets for the London Games the following day.
