The European Junior championships in Serbia are the top target for thrower Zane Duquemin this season

JERSEY athlete Zane Duquemin has been fast-tracked as a future British Olympian after being handpicked to join the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes initiative.

The 17-year-old De La Salle High School pupil and Jersey Spartan will receive a cash injection of £1,000 to help with the cost of training and competing after being one of only 250 youngsters picked from across the UK.

Duquemin, who also competes in the shot put and discus for the Sportingbet CI AC, attended the London launch of the initiative in Roehampton last week, where he received masterclasses with former British Olympians Iwan Thomas, Leon Taylor and Mark Foster on food, nutrition, media and training.

And Duquemin insisted rubbing shoulders with the likes of five-time Olympian Foster was all the inspiration he needed to follow in the footsteps of the Beijing flag-bearer. ‘It was great to meet all the Olympians, hear their tips and hear what the Olympics is actually like,’ said Duquemin.

Lloyds TSB is providing £1,000 to over 250 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond.

The European Junior championships in Serbia are the top target for thrower Zane Duquemin this season