LANGLEY Burrell youngster Jamie Phillips hasn’t even celebrated his tenth birthday yet but is already gearing up to represent Great Britain at the BMX World Championships later this month.

Jamie, a member of Bristol BMX club, will compete in the U9 age group at the championships in Birmingham, which begin on May 24, after qualifying through three British Series races at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester at the beginning of the year.

World-class cycling pedigree is already associated with Phillips’ Kington St Michael School, with the youngster’s former teacher Catherine Clancy the mother of reigning Olympic team pursuit champion Ed.

But Phillips says that his real inspiration is three-time BMX world champion and GB Olympian Shanaze Reade, who he first watched in the 2008 games in Beijing.

“I remember watching her on television and then I got the chance to see her in person at a South West regional in Cheddar,” said the young world championship hopeful. I got the chance to meet her too and I remember walking back with the autograph – it was thrilling and really inspiring.

“I’m really excited (about the world championships) and nervous too but I believe in myself.

“I love the sport because it’s fun and you get to meet a lot of people doing it.”

Dad Gary, a member of the Bristol club’s committee alongside Jamie’s mum Tracy, added: “He’s pretty proud to be putting on that GB jersey – it’s a really big thing for him.

“There’ll probably be anything up to 200 riders in his age group but he’s a really talented rider and he’s very competitive.

“The world championships are in this country because of the Olympics, but if he does well he may get the chance to go next year, which will be in New Zealand.”