A GIFTED young sportsman from Bewdley is hoping to be part of Great Britain’s Olympic dream in 2016 after catching the eye of a national search for talent.

While the country is turning its mind to the 2012 London Games, 15-year-old Oliver Bushnell is already thinking about four years later in South America.

The Heathfield School student, who is 6ft 5in tall, has progressed through to the second phase of UK Sport's Tall and Talented initiative, which is searching for the raw talent to be moulded into Britain's next generation of Olympians.

Bewdley Rowing Club member Bushnell impressed at trials at Loughborough University and is now to be considered for rowing and basketball.

He and 39 other hopefuls will try to impress basketball coaches on Saturday. If he succeeds, Bushnell will be put on the British Basketball pathway.

A week later, he will be at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham to be assesed for rowing along with 99 others, all vying for a place on the Great Britain Olympic Start programme.

The teenager followed in the footsteps of cousin Lewish Beech, who competed for Stourport Boat Club and represented the nation at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in 2007.

Oliver’s mother Candice Harrison said: “Oliver enjoys both his rowing and basketball so it doesn’t matter if he’s selected for either sport.

“This could be a tremendous chance to represent your country in six years time. His cousin is Lewis Beech and his success has always inspired Oliver.”