TALENTED Huddersfield athlete Mark Buckingham is aiming for the very top.
The 18-year-old fell runner is aiming for Pop Idol-style success in a new BBC TV series later this month.
But he will be up against the cream of Britain's young sporting talent in Born To Win - a six-part series described as the UK's biggest-ever search for the sporting stars of the future.
The 20 hopefuls will be flown out to St Anton in Austria to be filmed taking part in a series of physical and mental challenges.
And for the winning boy and girl, there will be the chance to win a special bursary aimed at realising their sporting dreams.
Mark, a member of Holmfirth Harriers, is already an international athlete and one of the top prospects in his sport. He is now in Alaska, ready to take part in the World Mountain Racing Championships this weekend.
And he can only benefit from the Born To Win challenges, under the watchful eyes of athletic greats Colin Jackson and Sally Gunnell.
The series, to be shown on Saturdays from September 27, will be presented by Dermot O' Leary, whose own sporting past includes rugby and American football. The programme will be screened on BBC1 from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
Mark, whose nickname is Sharky, is looking forward it.
"The Sharky thing all started when I was a kid and I had really pointed teeth," he said. "I used to bite through spoons! And that was that. The name stuck.
"Winning the London mini-marathon this year is probably my best ever achievement. Football used to take up quite a bit of time but because of all of my running I thought I'd better look after my legs and stop."
He added: "I get a big buzz out of doing strange things. Fell-running's probably the best example. You have to run up some really steep mountains and come back down sharp slopes. It is so exhilarating.
"It's the same with the big rides at fairgrounds - I love them. Before I go racing I love listening to music that gives me that buzz - tunes that have got attitude. Eminem is great, or my favourite tune is Eye of the Tiger. That gets me all pumped up.
"Training is something I feel strongly about. A couple of years ago, it had been raining for 24 hours and I got up at 6.30am to go out for a run at my club, the Holmfirth Harriers.
"About one mile from the clubhouse, I had to run alongside the river.
"I had to make a big jump but I slipped on a rock. I got carried off down the river for about 30 metres and I really struggled to keep above the water.
"I even banged into a tree which didn't help. But then out of nowhere I looked up and my mate Nicky was reaching for my right hand. But the fun wasn't over. He then fell in and I had to save him! That was some training session!"
Mark lives in Honley with his dad John, mum Chris and sister Gemma.
He is about to start a sports and management course at Sheffield Hallam University.
