Clare Dawson is hoping a few tips from the man who led Ian Thorpe to superstardom can take her to the next level.

Dawson, based at Stirling University for the past three years, is waiting to take advice from new Aussie coach Doug Frost.

Stirling has become one of Great Britain's Intensive Training Centres and Frost, Thorpe’s coach, will be there from the start of the New Year.

Dawson, who swims for Bangor, was in top form at the Ulster Open championships at the weekend, finishing off with victory in the 200m freestyle, which has developed dramatically over the past 12 months.

Having set personal bests at the European Short Course Championships in Croatia earlier this month, Dawson has her long-term goal of the Commonwealth Games in 2010 firmly in focus.

Dawson said: "Having Doug Frost come to Stirling is just fantastic. The fact that he brought through Ian Thorpe says it all really and Thorpe was a top freestyler so I would hope to learn an awful lot.

"Stirling could hardly be going better for me. My studies in psychology are going very well and the training has been great.

"But you're always looking to get better and with some young swimmers coming through like Sycerika McMahon it keeps you on your toes.

"My main aim is to get to the Commonwealth Games and I believe I can get there. I've been working very hard on the physical side of things and that has allowed me to develop my 200m free.

"I was always very strong over the 50m and 100m free but now the 200m is getting stronger and stronger."

Meanwhile, it was clear that

the star performer of the Ulster Open championships in Bangor Leisure Centre was 13-year-old Sycerika.

McMahon's physical strength for someone so young was there for all to see as she claimed 800m free gold and dominated the medley events.

The Leander teenager (pictured) would seem to have a very bright future, as does Michael Dawson who performed very well at the Commonwealth Youth Championships earlier this year.

Dawson, from Ards, is hoping to one day follow hero Andrew Bree onto the Olympic stage and knows he was unfortunate not to medal at the Commonwealth Youths in India.

“That was a great experience for me except that twice I finished fourth and just missed a medal by five hundredths,” said Dawson.

“But it gave me a lot of encouragement as well. I’m in my last year at school so it’s pretty important and it does make it a bit tougher having to balance school and training.

“But I believe that I can do it and overall I’m very pleased with how things have been going for me.

“India gave me a taste of what it is like to be on a big international stage and I want more of it.”