Emerging show jumper Alex Gill says he has his eyes firmly fixed on making a name for himself in the senior ranks after an impressive series of performances at junior level.

The 17-year-old from Northallerton has turned more than a few heads with plenty of gold medals to his name this season although it hasn’t all been plain sailing.

An ankle injury has hampered his progress this season and meant that he has missed out on the latter part of the campaign.

But Gill, who is a Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport athlete, says he is getting back to full fitness and can’t wait to get back into action.

“I won a few team gold medals that have given me a really good level of experience so far already in my career and hopefully I can carry that into the senior ranks,” he said.

“My season so far has been a bit frustrating though because I’m recovering from an ankle injury so that’s taking a bit of time to do the rehab and all of that."

“I’ve had to mentally and physically getting back into shape, but the start of the season was very good. I was in form and competing well and getting a few results."

“The ideal thing for me would be to build up a nice string of horses to go into the senior ranks and be very competitive and try and get some good results.”

The Academy of Sport gives young athletes mentoring and funding and Gill is in good company with the likes of Olympic champion Jade Jones having come through the initiative.

And the youngster is hoping that the scheme can help propel him to the top of the sport.

“To be involved in the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport is really good,” he added.

“I can take lots of things from the other athletes and other sports. I can try and improve my sport and my performance from advice that they give. "

“There are plenty of people who you can go to and get information which will hopefully give me a platform for success."

“The nutrition seminar has been really good, basically to see if I can improve my diet and take things out of that.”

Alex Gill attended the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport workshop, mentored by ambassadors Lewis Moody and Maggie Alphonsi and SportsAid patrons Danny Crates, Bryan Steel and Kerri-Ann Payne. For more information visit sportsaid.org.uk