A Coleg Menai student has won silver at a prestigious mountain running championship.
Noa Vaughan, 18, was the standout performer for the Wales team at the British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships, finishing second in the under-20 men's race.
The sports science student helped Wales to a team bronze in the tough competition held in Glendalough, Ireland.
Mr Vaughan said: "I was very happy to come home with a silver medal and help Wales to a team bronze medal.
"I felt proud of my performance and it was a good experience racing at a high level."
The competition was fierce, with six athletes in the field having recently competed for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships.
Despite missing out on that competition due to injury, Mr Vaughan made a strong comeback, completing the challenging 3.8-mile course, which included more than 900 feet of ascent, in 23 minutes and 35 seconds.
He finished just six seconds behind the winner, England's Samuel Bentham.
Mr Vaughan, from Y Felinheli, competes for Eryri Harriers and is the reigning Welsh under-20 Mountain Running Champion.
He only began running competitively in 2022 but quickly rose through the ranks under the guidance of his father Alun, a former Wales international.
He finished 21st in the under-18 World Championships that same year.
Mr Vaughan said: "In the future, my ambitions are to represent Wales in the senior category and hopefully achieve a GB vest on the road, trails or cross country.
"I would like to compete in the marathon, especially London."
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He added: "I’m really enjoying the course.
"It has helped me develop my performances through learning things such as how to deal with pressure before competing, correct diet and how to lower the risk of injuries."
His tutor, Gareth Griffiths, said: "We’re very proud of Noa’s achievements and that he’s been able to apply himself in both his coursework and his sporting achievements.
"He’s been able to apply what he’s learning on the course towards improving his own sporting performance, and utilise the facilities we’ve got in Llangefni."
After college, Mr Vaughan hopes to gain a scholarship to study in the USA to continue pursuing his dream of competing on the highest stage.
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