A prolific teenage waterskiier has his heart set on competing for Great Britain after he scooped a silver medal in the national championships.
Charlie Emmett, 14, who has autism, took home the Slalom Silver Medal in the Under 14 National Championships held in Lincolnshire earlier this year.
Next year, he is due to move up to the Under 18s category where the boat speed is higher and the competition from the older boys is more fierce.
The Lord Williams’s School pupil, who lives in Sedrup, has been waterskiing since the age of five and now the dedicated youngster trains regularly under British Under 21s captain Stephen Glanfield at Berinsfield Lake.
But even though he has a host of medals and trophies already under his belt, his ultimate ambition is to compete for his country in the future.
As part of his gruelling training programme, Charlie exercises at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame with a personal trainer to work on his upper body strength and cardio.
Charlie’s father Jeff said: “When Charlie was first diagnosed at the age of five as being autistic, we were told that he was likely to be a social outcast with limited ability, skills, no balance or co-ordination and it was devastating news for Karine and I.
“Luckily Charlie is “high functioning” and although it has not always been easy, with amazing help from the dedicated specialist staff at Lord Williams’s School and 24/7 love and guidance from us, Charlie has turned into a lovely, caring young man with a passion for water sports.”