Sheffield goalball ace Caleb Nanevie hopes to compete at IBSA World Games

Caleb Nanevie hopes to compete at the IBSA World Games in Birmingham in August

A Sheffield man blinded by a rare allergic reaction to penicillin is hoping to represent Great Britain at goalball this summer.

Caleb Nanevie was seven when he lost his sight after doctors in Ghana prescribed the drug for chickenpox.

It triggered the condition Stevens-Johnson syndrome, leaving him blind for three years before a cornea transplant restored partial vision.

If selected he will compete at the IBSA World Games in Birmingham in August.

Caleb Nanevie dreams of competing in the Paralympics

Mr Nanevie, 29, said: "As a child, I was aware of being blind/partially sighted and not being able to see as much as everyone else, but I only really started understanding how to use my eyesight to its full potential in my teens."

Aged 11, Mr Nanevie flew to England for the transplant which restored partial vision to his left eye. He has lived with his family in Gleadless ever since.

While attending the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford as a teenager, Mr Nanevie developed a passion for goalball - a sport specifically created for blind and partially sighted athletes.

The game sees players attempt to score goals by quickly and precisely throwing a 1.25kg ball across the court and defending shots from the opposing team using their bodies.

"I have never really felt like I am not capable of doing anything," said Mr Nanevie, talking about his condition.

"It has never brought me down, I have never been sad about it. It has given me the sense that I can try to do anything. Do not limit yourself."

Caleb Nanevie, third from left, in action

With the help of Goalball UK, he has gone on to compete at major European championships, topped goal-scoring charts, and become one of Great Britain's best competitors.

Mr Nanevie plays domestically for the Northern Allstars. He also coaches and visits schools to teach children about goalball.

It will be the first time the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games, incorporating 11 different sports, has been held in the UK, organisers said.

Goalball is one of three sports at the World Games which will count towards qualification for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, which Mr Nanevie said would be the "pinnacle" of his sporting career.

He added: "We want to be one of those teams who are in the Paras every four years, having an established team and a strong core to build a legacy for ourselves and help inspire younger and upcoming athletes."

And there is one youngster Mr Nanevie is already hoping to inspire - his four-year-old son.

"He has never seen me play at a big event like this, so I will hopefully do him proud," he added.