A paralympic swimmer from Bridport is already looking to the future after finishing just outside the medals in Paris. 

Harry Stewart, 20, competed in the s14 100m breaststroke final, and finished less than second behind Naohide Yamaguchi in third place - just missing out on a medal at his inaugural Games. 

The swimmer has had a meteoric rise in para swimming having only taken up  the event last year and only qualified for the team earlier this year. 

In that that time the swimmer has already been crowned European champion at the European Para Championships in Madeira, and is already eyeing up a spot at the next Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

READ: Harry Stewart comes fifth at 2024 Paris Paralympics

Speaking on the future, he said: “Everyone says it but I would love to go to LA. I will keep working hard each year and hopefully I can get there as well.”

Stewart had qualified fifth fastest for the final but was up against a world class field which included world record holder and world champion Yamaguchi, as well as Australia's Jake Michel, who finished in second place, equally his achievement from Tokyo 2020, and eventual winner Nicholas Bennett, a world record holder in the 200m individual medley event.

Despite missing out on a medal, Stewart was pleased with his performance in the pool at the La Defense Arena in Paris. 

READ: Bridport swimmer's bid to make ParalympicsGB team boosted

He added: " “I'm feeling alright, I have some mixed emotions but I'm happy to have got in the final.

"Fifth in the world is not too bad. I do wish that I had got a better time but in the heat of the moment I think the nerves maybe got a bit on top of me but I'm definitely happy with that.”

“It was anyone's race to win. Going in there was just a second between first and fifth and I just wanted to go in as relaxed as possible to see what I could do.

"You're always going to have nerves, you're not human if you don't and everyone raced brilliantly.”

Harry started swimming from an early age, first with Bridport Barracudas, then South Dorset Tornadoes and the West Dorset Swimming Club.

He also received a £1,000 grant from the Dorset Community Foundation, which helped play a vital role in helping him prepare for the Games in Paris.

Without the funding, he would have struggled to pay for accommodation and travel to training.