Dunedin swimmer Alistair Brown made a super debut in open water swimming by finishing 13th overall and the best of the five Britons at a 10K event in Pisa in Italy.

As a result, he has been selected as one of six Britons - three boys and three girls - to compete in the European Junior Championships in France next weekend.

"I really enjoyed it and can't wait to compete at the Europeans," said the 19-year-old, who is Scottish age-group champion in the 1,500m freestyle.

"I'm now definitely going to concentrate even more on open water. It is going to be included in the London 2012 Olympic Games and, hopefully, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It is a great opportunity."

Alistair was selected for the Pisa event after he finished in the top five in the 1,500m freestyle at the British Olympic Swimming trials in Sheffield in April.

"I finished fifth and just scraped in - so it was great to be the best of the Britons in Pisa," he said.