A YOUNGSTER from Tilbury is celebrating after he was selected to compete in the 2018 National School Games.

Joseph Harding will be part of the Athletics squad at the games – a national multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes taking place at Loughborough University between August 30 and September 2.

The 15-year-old, who is a student at the St Clere’s School in Stanford le Hope and is a member of Basildon AC, will compete for the England South squad in the 100m Hurdles.

Joseph already has an impressive record of success, and has a personal best of 13.01s in the 100m hurdles.

Joseph will live in a dedicated Athletes’ Village on the Loughborough University campus, take part in an School Games ceremony and perform in front of huge crowds of spectators.

“The School Games National Finals provide a great opportunity for talented young athletes like Joseph,” says 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.”

More than 1,400 athletes will compete across 11 sports at the School Games, five of which include disability disciplines.

Joseph 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 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 now at schoolgamesfinals.org/buy-tickets.