A Monikie teenager has set his sights on becoming a future Olympian as he continues to smash athletics records.
Last year Joel McFarlane, 15, set a British record and two Scottish records on his way to winning 16 titles.
The Carnoustie High School third- year pupil regularly competes in pentathlon and long jump events all over Britain and aims to pursue his interest in sport at college in America and then become a professional athlete.
Last year Joel was ranked number one long jump athlete in Britain for his age.
He won the Scottish Athletics title at Grangemouth in August with a 6m 50cm jump and then the British title a week later in Bedford.
The Arbroath and District Athletics Club member also won the British Indoor Pentathlon title at the Sheffield Arena and set a Scottish hurdles record at the same event.
He also set the British octathlon record, at Bedford in August.
His father Ian said his son faces a tough year as he makes the adjustment from competing as an under 15 athlete to an under 17 athlete.
“He’s been competing since he was 10 and in the last few years he’s been winning Scottish titles in javelin, hurdles, long jump and combined events,” he said.
“Last year was Joel’s best year yet. Compared to what has gone before him, he’s up there or bettering those results.
“It requires a lot of dedication on his part. He regularly travels to Grangemouth to use their indoor track and to see his pole-vault coach.
“This year he’s had to move up another age group and is now an under 17 athlete which will be more of a challenge for him as that’s a big jump at his age.
“However, last weekend he won the silver medal in the Scottish U17 Indoor Heptathlon Championship, missing the gold by one point a great achievement in his first year at this age group.”
Ian, who is a coach at Arbroath and District Athletics Club, said Joel viewed America as the best place to nurture his talent after he leaves school.
It will require him setting high scores across the decathlon events to be accepted into a college programme.
“Towards the end of his schooling here he will look for scholarships to go across and compete in America,” he added.
“The scholarship depends on what score he gets in his last year here. There are not many places in the UK which do strong decathlete programmes.
“America has the best opportunities.”
Ian and Joel are also in full support of a community campaign which aims to bring an athletics arena to Arbroath.
The campaign is in its early stages, but it is estimated that around £1 million would have to be raised to make it a reality. “It would really help with Joel’s training,” Ian added.