Beach volleyball teen celebrates gold medal hat trick

Lucas, 15, topped the UK beach volleyball underage rankings

A schoolboy is celebrating winning his third gold medal in UK beach volleyball's underage rankings.

Lucas,15, a student at Bournemouth Collegiate School, competed in 16 UK Beach Tour (UKBT) tournaments throughout the summer to win the under-16 national junior title.

He said the win, which followed gold medals in the last two years, was "amazing".

His is coached by his father David, himself a former GB and England volleyball player, who said he was "immensely proud" of Lucas' progress.

Lucas took part in the 2023 World School Games in Israel

Lucas, who started playing volleyball when he was five, came top of the national under-16 leader board.

He competed in 16 UK Beach Tour (UKBT) national adult tournaments at various locations around the country and accumulated 869 points to win the under-16 national junior title.

He also made history by being the youngest under-16 junior competitor to win seven adult tour medals - two gold, two silver and three bronze.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he also topped the rankings at under-14 and under-15 levels.

His father recalled how Lucas began playing at the age of five at youth coaching sessions he had organised in Teddington.

When the family moved to Bournemouth, five minutes away from the beach, it gave Lucas the opportunity to develop his skills.

"He's really enjoying the sport and it's about keeping focus and managing it with his studies.

"He's done amazingly well, he's got super dedication and is lovely to work with," David said

Lucas trains up to five times a week on the beach after school in all-weather at the Bournemouth Beach Volleyball Club courts in Boscombe.

"Every day - bad weather, good weather, it's what you have to do," he said.

Earlier this year Lucas got the call up to the England Junior national team, the youngest player in the squad.

He also represented England at the under-19 Small Nations Beach Volleyball Championships held in Cardiff, finishing fifth.

Lucas said playing for his country was "quite cool".

"But its also quite tough. Everyone is as good as you or maybe better and they are older than you, so they've got maturity."