STOURPORT Rowing Club star Lewis Beech is hoping to do his country proud when he represents Great Britain in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in January.

The 18-year-old will take part in a training camp in London just after Christmas before jetting off to Sydney on January 6 to acclimatise ahead of the games.

Beech, who is studying art at Stourport High School, received the call-up after trials at the new Caversham lake, the home of British rowing, in Reading last weekend.

The Youth Olympics gets under way on January 19 with Beech taking part in the men's coxless pair, four and eight at Sydney International Regatta Centre. Beech was part of the four which won gold at the World Junior Champi-onships in Holland earlier this year and that event represents their best chance of success again.

"We're going there aiming to win everything, but definitely the four, we're pretty confident about that," said Beech, who is currently training every day.