William heads for Wimbledon (From Gazette & Herald)

William heads for Wimbledon

A SPORTS-MAD youngster from Malton will be taking part in a ceremony to launch the London Olympic torch at Wimbledon this Saturday after he won a competition he heard about while watching tennis on the BBC.

William Spencer, aged eight, knew the answer to the question - who won last year's men's Wimbledon singles (which was Roger Federer) - and so he asked his dad, Michael, to enter on the BBC Sport Academy website.

A while later, he learnt he was one of eight lucky winners to be invited to Wimbledon to help send the Olympic torch on its way to Athens. Not only that, but William will also get the chance to watch some of the action at Wimbledon on Saturday.

The torch will start its journey on centre court before being passed round major landmarks in London.

William, who is a pupil at Amotherby Community Primary School, said: "I am really pleased and excited to be going down to Wimbledon. I have already been watching it on television. My favourite player is Tim Henman, but I think Andy Roddick will win."

Not only is William a keen player for Malton Tennis Club, he also plays football for Brooklyn Juniors, cricket for Malton and Old Malton CC and squash at Malton Squash Club. He played in the junior cricket competition at the Lashings match in Malton last Sunday.

Updated: 12:06 Wednesday, June 23, 2004