A FORMER talented junior rugby player from the Swansea Valley who gave up the game to concentrate on his athletics career has reached the pinnacle of his sport in Europe.

Owain Lloyd Hughes from Ystradgynlais, who has played rugby from the age of 7, made the switch to athletics 3 years ago and in that time, his athletics career as a sprinter has flourished.

He capped it off this week by being listed as the fastest under 20 100m runner across Europe this year and is now also ranked joint 12th in the world.

He said: ““It’s been an incredible journey for me since I made the switch, I love rugby and one day will probably go back to it, maybe in 7s which I’ve played a lot of over the years.

“For now though, I’m loving my athletics, and glad I made the switch as I’ve learned so much.

“It’s been a lot of hard work but its helped my speed massively. I think all sportsmen and women with ambitions in team sports should train with athletics clubs from a young age, it will bring them on so much!”

Owain, aged 18, became British schools champion in the 200m three years ago, then represented Wales juniors and senior teams , before capping it all last year with a call up to sprint for GB under 20s.

However, despite the lockdown this year, the former Ysgol Gyfyn Ystalyfera pupil and product of Ystradgynlais RFC has come out the other side firing on all cylinders.

After almost a full 12 months away from a competition on an outdoor track, he clocked a super fast 10.38s in the 100m in Nuneaton last week that has catapulted him to the top of the European rankings for his age group and in the top 12 globally.

Owain, who studies sport at Loughborough College, added: “Yes, it did come as a bit of a shock, I wasn’t expecting to reach those heights in the rankings this season, I was lucky to be running against some top quality seniors in that race who pushed me along.

“I know I’m very fortunate to have a great team around me including my coach Kevin Williams, who’s a former Commonwealth sprinter himself, and without him, I wouldn’t be where I am.

“I’ve also been helped on the nutritional side of things with some superb support from PAS, which is Olympic sprinter Darren Campbell’s sports nutrition company, and also from Muscle Food, both of whom have looked after me so well during lockdown”.

Owain, along with a wealth of talented athletes from Wales, competed in the Muller British Championships on Friday 5th September in the 100m.