Student Sport: Challenger's high hopes for success

IT MAY seem unlikely, but Britain's best hope of an athletics gold medal here at the World Student Games may rest with the son of the former drummer in Showaddywaddy.

Events on the track begin this morning at the impressive pounds 60m San Moix stadium. British performances here at the 20th Universiade have been somewhat subdued thus far, with a solitary swimming relay bronze the best result. Ben Challenger, the captain of Loughborough Students' athletics team, will be taking more than three steps to heaven if he is able to deliver the British squad's first gold of the Games in the high jump. His father, Romeo, used to play in the 1970s band, and accompanies Ben, aged 19, to most of his major meetings.

Challenger's high jumping has so far seen him win silver medals at the European and World Junior Championships, and a second place in last September's Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur too.