It has not been the easiest of months for Oliver Carter but, after overcoming illness and a Commonwealth Games blow, the Fife swimmer is intent on getting back up to speed in the pool once again.
Born with his legs facing the wrong way, 14-year-old Carter underwent several operations leaving him initially in a wheelchair before making the decision to take up swimming aged 10.
He has excelled ever since and last year qualified for the Scottish National Open Championships to leave him on track for his aim of making Glasgow 2014.
However, confirmation of his classification Cupar and District SC’s Carter had been competing against able-bodied swimmers saw his dreams dashed.
Added to that a series of worrying fainting episodes plus a chest infection and the Bell Baxter High School pupil found himself off the pace in the water.
But Carter, who won 100m breaststroke bronze and 4x100m medley relay silver at this month’s National Junior & Youth Swimming Championships in Sheffield, believes his troubles are behind him.
“I only got classified a few months ago and up until then I was swimming able-bodied,” said Carter.
“I was aiming for the Commonwealth Games. And after the Scottish National Open I was sure I could make it but then I found out that my classification wasn’t in it. So now the aim is the Rio Paralympics in 2016.
“Recently I had been having fainting episodes and I did a lot of tests at hospital but they didn’t know what it was and when that passed I got a chest infection and I was coughing my lungs up.
“It really got me down and I still can’t swim a personal best but I am confident. I have a couple of races coming up.”
Carter’s cause received a boost this month as, courtesy of being on the SSE Next Generation ambassador programme, he received unique tuition from Sir Chris Hoy in Loughborough. He will return to the Scottish National Open Championships next month and insists his meeting with Olympian Hoy will prove invaluable.
“It is great being on the SSE Next Generation ambassador programme and we have done loads already. I even won a signed Sir Chris Hoy water bottle in a quiz,” he added.
“It is a big confidence boost being on this scheme and it will really help me moving forward and it makes me feel a lot happier.”