By Jack Travers

CURTIS Griffith-Parker has already had a taste of the international athletics scene and after a timely financial boost, the Lewisham athlete has vowed to toast a medal-winning summer in 2011.

Griffith-Parker, 20, has been handpicked to join the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes project, securing £1,000 worth of funding and expert tuition from Olympic triple jump champion and world record holder Jonathan Edwards.

Shot put and discus specialist Griffith-Parker has long been making waves on the global athletics scene, with trips to the Commonwealth Youth Games in India plus the European and World Junior Championships in Serbia and Poland respectively.

Despite his jet-setting athletics career to date, the Lewisham ace, who has also competed in Germany, Greece and Czech Republic, has yet to return to the UK with a medal to declare.

But with a recent boost to his coffers, Griffith-Parker has vowed to right his medal wrongs this summer at the European Under-23 Championships in Czech Republic.

“My first event of the season will be the Kent championships in May,” said Griffith-Parker, who competes for Cambridge Harriers.

“My main target for this season will be to throw 18m in the shot put and 60m in the discus.

“I’m an U23 at the moment but we use the same weight shot as the men so I’m getting used to that now and hopefully I can qualify for the European U23s in Ostrava.

“It would be great to get out there and then when I get there perform well and throw some big distances.

“Being on the scheme is really great. It’s hard to find funding these days and even when you can, there are lots of schemes with loads of catches but this is really good, knowing that you have someone to support you.”

Griffith-Parker is one of only 262 up-and-coming athletes selected from across England and Wales to be part of the Lloyds TSB-funded scheme.

And the former Blackheath Bluecoat School pupil admits he is finally finding his feet in the U23 ranks ahead of what is set to be a busy summer.

“Last year was my first in the U23 category and it was definitely different,” said Griffith-Parker.

“The weight of the shot was different but at least I moved up with people I’ve been competing against.

“I’ve already spoken to and bonded with the people who have been in the age group above me, so it didn’t really make too much of a difference.”

Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, provides support and funding to 344 emerging athletes all the way to London 2012 and beyond. Follow the future stars of TeamGB and ParalympicsGB at lloydstsb.com/localheroes

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