A YOUNG sportsman from Little Stukeley will next week celebrate turning 10 years old as a three-time national champion.

A SPORTSMAN from Little Stukeley will next week celebrate his birthday – and being a three-time national champion at the grand old age of 10.

Tom Smith has a condition called achondroplasia – more commonly known as dwarfism – and last week made his debut in the Dwarf Sports Association National Games.

The Abbots Ripton Primary School pupil came back with seven medals from the under-11 age group – including golds for cycling, football and curling.

Tom, who lives with parents Graham and Sally and sister Jenny in Low Road, Little Stukeley, also won a silver medal in frisbee and bronze medals in hockey, basketball and cricket-ball throwing.

Having enjoyed such success in his first year in the competition, Tom is already looking forward to defending his titles next year – and wants to compete at the World Games in Michigan in 2013.

His mother Sally said: “He did brilliantly. He was a bit nervous when we arrived but he soon got going and was really pleased to have done so well.”

The national games are held annually for athletes with restricted growth to compete against each other in events ranging from athletics to football, basketball and swimming. Gold medal Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds is the patron of the games, having competed several times.

Sally said: “He definitely wants to go back next year and is really excited about the idea of competing in Michigan. After that, maybe in the future he could be competing in the Paralympics – who knows?”