A TEENAGER from Headley Down has been selected to be part of the triathlon squad at the 2018 School Games.

The games are a national multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes and take place at Loughborough University from August 30 to September 2.

Luke van Oudtshoorn, 16, a student at St Edmund’s School, will compete for England South East at the School Games thanks to his impressive track record, which includes winning both the Llanelli and Blenheim triathlons in 2018.

More than 1,400 athletes will compete across 11 sports at the games, five of which include disability disciplines. This year the School Games has introduced four new sports (canoeing and rowing, laser run, netball and triathlon).

The event will give many young people, across a variety of different sports, an experience of high-level competition in a multi-sport environment similar to the Olympic or Paralympic Games.

Luke will be following in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the event before going on to senior international success. Previous competitors include Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and sprinter Adam Gemili.

“The School Games National Finals provide a great opportunity for talented young athletes like Luke,” said Ali Oliver, chief executive officer of the Youth Sport Trust. “Competitors get a real taste of what it’s like to be part of a world-class sporting event at the amazing sporting venues of Loughborough University, and the event is a great way to see our future sporting champions in action today.”

The 2018 School Games is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and Home Country Sports Councils and is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.

Tickets for the event are available at schoolgamesfinals.org/buy-tickets.