ABERGAVENNY athlete Daniel Lucker recently returned from the USA crowned double world champion with an impressive trophy haul to his name that included one gold and four silver medals.
Such was the powerful impression made by 15-year-old Lucker's performance, he is now being tipped by those in the know to follow in the footsteps of such notables as Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Chris Hallam.
Lucker, a member of the Disability Sports Wales Academy programme, travelled to the IWAS Junior World Championships held in New Jersey following an impressive year of sporting achievements which included winning the Junior London Marathon wheelchair race.
Whilst competing in New Jersey Lucker took gold in the 1,500m event and silver in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m.
In the 5000m, the organisers combined the under-18 and under-16 age groups, and an impressive Lucker finished fourth, only 0.07seconds behind third place.
Subsequently Lucker is now World Champion in the U16 1500m and 5000m, and fourth in the world in the U18 5000m, as well as being ranked second in the World in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m U16 events.
Lucker's coach Chris Hallam couldn't attend the event due to an injury, but he was well supported by his mother Karen who said, "It was disappointing for Dan not to win the 5000m outright, but overall he is really pleased with how it's all gone. It was a well-organised event, and gives us a pointer to where his training needs to go.
"We knew that the Americans and Canadians would be strong in the event, and Dan was only beaten by a Canadian who is a year older than him."
Disability sports officer for Monmouthshire county council Claire Lampan said, "I believe that Daniel is starting to make a mark not just nationally but internationally. He is following in the footsteps of Chris Hallam and Dame Tanni Grey-Thompsonn and at only 15 years old he is already setting the bar higher and higher each time he's racing."