SHE may be too young to qualify for the Commonwealth Games this summer but Abergavenny mountain biker Ffion James still has her eyes on performing on the big stage in 2014.

Riding competitively for the last eight years, 16-year-old James finished eighth in the European Youth Mountain Bike Championships in Austria last summer in Great British colours.

It was just one of a series of impressive performances which saw the Abergavenny Road Club cyclist achieve her season's target of getting on to British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme for the 2013/2014 season.

And while the King Henry VIII Comprehensive School pupil may have taken a break from the mountain bike for winter training, she proved she was still in great shape, finishing third in the recent women's National Cyclo-Cross Championships and first in the junior race.

The mountain bike season resumes at the end of March, and having represented Great Britain at European level, James, who lives in Llwyn Du, is targeting a first appearance on the world stage.

"Last year went really well for me, with the European Youth Championship and then getting onto the Olympic Development Programme," said James, who was chosen as an SSE Next Generation ambassador for the second time last summer.

"This year could be a really exciting year. I've got the national series which is a chance to impress the British coaches and then the next European Youth Championships in June.

"I've represented Wales quite a lot at inter-regional competitions and Great Britain at the European Championships but not on the world stage, that is my next target.

"I hope to represent GB at national events, eventually a few World Cups and World Championships but at the moment I am still young so it is harder to get picked.

"I really enjoy mountain biking, it's a really big thrill and adrenalin rush coming down the hills and the big drops."

One person who does not enjoy the demanding hills as much is older sister Becky, the current world sprint and keirin champion tipped to star at this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

And with cycling clearly running in the family, the younger James admits she has the perfect role model to follow, even if they differ in disciplines.

"I look up to her, she inspires me really. I try and watch her when she can but she is racing abroad a lot," Ffion added.

"I have had a go at the track but it is not what I am best at. She used to do quite a bit of mountain bike riding but I don't think she likes the hills, whereas I do.

"My aim is the next few years is to follow in her footsteps, hopefully get picked for the Commonwealths and Olympics in mountain biking."