DAN Lucker heads to the IWAS Junior World Games a marked man but the Abergavenny wheelchair racer insists he's happy to be the one to beat in the Czech Republic.
Lucker's reputation as the favourite in Eastern Europe is well-justified. The 17-year-old ended last year's equivalent event with three gold medals (200m, 1500m and 500m) and two silvers (400m and 800m).
But it has not been plain sailing for Lucker in 2010. He was unable to compete until April due to a winter virus that left him in hospital for a month.
However with the Abergavenny ace back to full health, he has vowed to cope with the pressure when the event kicks off on August 20.
"I think the competitors from all over the world will have a bit of a different attitude to me because of what happened last year and they are probably hoping that the illness I had earlier in the year will affect me," said Lucker.
"But I am confident it won't. I have done a lot of good training recently and I feel like I am in very good shape so I am confident that despite the illness I had and the disruption that caused me I will be in good shape when I get to the Czech Republic.
"I have a lot of success at junior level in the past so that gives me confidence that I can go the World Junior Games and do even better than I did last year.
"I obviously did well at last year's Games but I believe I can do better than last year and that is the goal. I have had a lot of good training recently and have worked hard so I am confident that I can do better this year than last time."
Such was Lucker's domination in the junior ranks last year there were early calls for him to leave the age-group competitions and move full time into the seniors.
But Lucker says he's in no rush to wave goodbye to his younger rivals.
"I have obviously done a lot of senior competitions now and those are very important events for me and where I learn a lot," added Lucker.
"But at the same time I want to keep doing junior competitions when the quality of the field is high because I think they are very important.
"There will be a lot of good athletes at the Junior World Games from all over the world and while it is competitive I will definitely still do it."