Beckenham Water Polo star Freddie Pearson says representing England at the recent Under-18 Championships in Lithuania was a dream come true.

The 16-year-old, who has been playing the sport since he was eight, featured heavily in the tournament and finished as England’s top scorer.

Pearson, a pupil at Trinity School in Croydon, was also named as England’s most valuable player by tournament directors after putting in several fine performances.

He said: “It was my first international experience so I didn’t really know what to expect, but it was really good fun and I certainly learnt a lot from the trip.

“It shows that if you do work hard then you can achieve stuff that you’ve dreamt about.

“Representing your country is the height and I just want to continue doing that for as long as I can.”

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Despite competing against teams from the year above, Pearson and his side managed to claim two wins from three group stage matches in the 2015 Baltic Amadeus Trophy.

The English team were beaten 11-6 by tournament hosts Lithuania in the semi-final, before they narrowly lost 13-12 to Moldova in the bronze medal encounter.

While the squad was disappointed not to bring home any silverware, Pearson insisted the talented national team can build on their performances in Lithuania.

“We were playing teams from the year above so it was always going to be tough,” he said.

“We were gutted to lose in the third and fourth placed play-off but we’ve got our Europeans in a couple of years’ time and we feel like this is a really great platform to build on.

“I think everyone in the team had a great time and a great tournament – everyone was so determined to win for your country so there was great solidarity in the camp.

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“We’re a really close group and we’re all very determined to make an impact in the Europeans.”

Although Pearson was in a sling only days before the team travelled to Lithuania, the Beckenham Water Polo star scored 10 goals – including four in the play-off match against Moldova.

“Scoring a goal for your country gives you a buzz, it was an unreal feeling,” he added.

“I was really chuffed with my performances. I did a lot of rehab to get my shoulder better and thankfully it paid off.

“Hearing the national anthem was a really special moment – all of the team was incredibly proud and it was an unforgettable moment.”

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