Two Croydon students have been selected as part of the athletics squad at the 2017 School Games National Finals.
16-year-old John Fisher School student Dylan Da Costa will compete for the South squad while Millfield School student Marcia Sey, 15, will compete for the Midlands squad.
Both athletes already have an impressive track record behind them.
Dylan took part in the International Schools Competition in Dublin and Marcia has a personal best of 11.07 seconds for the 80m hurdles.
Dylan and Marcia will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the School Games before going on to senior international success.
“I think sometimes it’s important to experience losing a race so you can push yourself to be better for the next one,” Dylan said.
Marcia said: “Watching Kendra Harrison run a world record at the London Anniversary Games really inspired me; I would love to get to where she is in the future”.
The games have proved a springboard for future athletes. 56 of the 382 athletes who represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio competed at the school games.
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