FREDDIE Curtis hopes this week’s World Junior Championships can be a springboard to Rio 2016 qualification.

The 19-year-old javelin thrower, from Hardwick, near Bicester, competes in the heats in Eugene, Oregon tomorrow night.

Curtis earned a spot for Great Britain after surpassing 70m for the first time.

He said: “I was really pleased to gain selection.

“I spent all of last winter and spring in Finland with my coach Pettori Piironen, working extremely hard on my fitness and technique, which is now paying off.

“My aim is to gain experience from a high quality championship like this.

“I hope to make the final when anything can happen.”

In the long-term, the Loughborough University student wants to be a senior international.

He said: “I would like to qualify for the Rio Olympics in 2016 and World Championships in London 2017.

“At the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 I would like to think I could win a medal.”

Curtis and his brothers Jackson, 21, and Redford, 17, have all had success with the javelin since starting out as youngsters with Bicester AC.

“From a young age, all three of us could throw a tennis ball over the house for fun,” said Freddie.

“Jackson, my older brother, joined Bicester Athletics Club while at primary school and started sprinting and long jumping.

“He had an injury to his hip so took up the javelin which he was good at.

“I followed in his footsteps at the age of 11 trying to beat him in typical brotherly rivalry.

“I now have my younger brother Redford trying to beat me, so a big family rivalry pushes you on.”

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