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SET FOR STARDOM

By Lorraine Parker - Thursday, March 20, 2008
SET FOR STARDOM
Oliver Holmes.
Sport/Young sports stars
YOUNG Island sports stars have been making headlines nationally and internationally this week as they set new standards in their chosen fields.
Rugby player Oliver Holmes has been offered a contract with one of the country’s top clubs, swimmer Michael Popov smashed a 14-year-old record held by the Island swimmer who went to win Commonwealth Games medals and racing driver Tom Gladdis produced the fastest lap time on his Amercian debut.
Totland rugby player Oliver Holmes has been offered a professional contract to play for London Wasps.
The 18 year old is the only apprentice to be awarded a contract this year, having been signed by the premiership side as one of 12 apprentices two years ago.
Considered to have the best academy system in world rugby, Holmes now hopes to follow in the footsteps of some of his childhood heroes.
He said: “All of us have worked incredibly hard these past two years. When I heard I was to be offered a professional full-time contract I was stunned.
“You quickly realise how much talent there is to choose from, this is an amazing opportunity for me to work alongside some great players: Vickery, Dallaglio, Worsley, Lewsey, Shaw, Cipriani, Haskell, Sackey, Ibanez, the names speak for themselves. Wasps management team and support staff are world class.
“The club has lots of exciting talent and knows how to get the best from them, there’s a will to win. I’m pinching myself to believe I’m playing and training with some of my heroes.’
Six-foot four centre Oliver started playing at Ryde School, Hordle Walhampton and Vectis RFC before becoming a county, then divisional and England under-16 player. He now juggles daily training with his A-level studies while living near the Wasps training ground.
“I hope my story inspires other Island athletes to work hard and aim high,” he said.
Holmes had an excellent Guinness A-team debut against London Irish on Monday but has reluctantly refused his place on a tour to Argentina, in May, as he’ll be sitting A-level exams.
In the pool a record held for 14 years by Common-wealth medallist and Britain’s best breaststroke swimmer Darren Mew has been broken by Gurnard’s 15-year-old Mikael Popov.
At the Hampshire Swimm-ing Championships, West Wight Swimmer Mikael broke Darren’s 15-year age group 100m breaststroke record, with a time of 1.07.94 compared to Darren’s 1.08.53, set in 1994.
Darren went on to win Commonwealth medals, participate in Olympic finals and has set his sights on gold in the Beijing Olympics.
In the 50m breaststroke, Mikael broke another record and took two more junior county titles.
Mikael will now be swimming with Darren in the British Championships and Olympic trials on April 1, in Sheffield, with Darren ranked second and Mikael 48th.
Speaking after the championships, in Southampton, Mikael said: “This is one of my biggest achievements. I was shocked but it gives me the incentive to keep going.”
Racer Tom Gladdis made a big impression on his USA debut by clocking the fastest lap time.
The 17 year old from Cowes, who was snapped up by the Florida-based Ander-sen Racing team, finished fifth in round one of the Star Mazda Championship, at Florida’s Sebring Inter-national Raceway, last Friday.
Tom moved up through the field in the closing laps and set the fastest lap to claim fifth place.
Dad Ken said: “Andersen Racing partner and legendary US racing driver Bobby Rahal was watching Tom on the pit monitors and said that he was having an amazing drive in his first race for the team.”