Ten-year-old skateboarder Jaxon Popovic is set to become the youngest competitor at this year's senior GB National Championships, held in Newquay, Cornwall, from 9 to 12 July. Rather than entering an age-grade category, he has qualified to compete directly against 26 of the UK's best male skateboarders, including national champions and Olympic hopefuls, for a share of a £10,000 prize pot. His place at such a senior event while still at primary school is a striking achievement.

Born in Darwin, Australia, and raised in Somerset before moving to the Pembrokeshire village of Solva, Jaxon began skateboarding as a toddler and started competing seriously at around five. He earned his place through strong recent results in Skateboard GB's Survival of the Sickest series, including a win in Hemel Hempstead and podium finishes in Birmingham and Cornwall. He now makes regular five-hour round trips to train near Cardiff, and a six-month spell in Australia in 2025 aided his development. He hopes to reach the final's top eight and dreams of one day competing at the Olympics, though he will not be old enough for Los Angeles 2028 and is instead targeting the 2032 Brisbane Games.