SAMUEL Wright was spoilt for choice while deciding which sport he wanted to prioritise in his teenage years, but after being selected in Team England's squad for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, he knows he made the right decision .

The multi-talented athlete from Billericay had trials with his boyhood club West Ham United as a child while also playing basketball and rugby competitively.

However, after joining Chelmsford Athletics Club and being taken under the wing of coach Simon Hemmings, Wright turned his focus to athletics.

Now he will compete in the long jump at Trinbago 2023 as part of a 59-strong English contingent and more than 1,000 young competitors aged 14 to 18 from around the world.

"Yeah [it does feel like I made the right choice], it is an honour," said the 16-year-old.

"I can't even put it into words, and it is so satisfying to see that the hard work I have put in this summer and across the two years since I decided to focus on athletics is finally starting to pay off.

"I got into high jump initially, and I jumped 1.50m on my first try and they were telling me how good that was.

"It only took off in 2021 really for me, that is when I first joined Chelmsford Athletics Club.

"I met Simon that year and since I met him it has been onwards and upwards, I will try anything which is why I do multi-sport events as well.

"I guess you could say I am a sports fanatic.

"It was mainly football at an early age, I was obsessed with it until I was 13 or 14, but I also played basketball."

The seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games will take place on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago between the 4th and 11th of August. Wright has been focussing on athletics for two years, and as a relative latecomer to track and field, he admits he has had a lot to learn in a short space of time.

"At the time of the decision, that is when I was first learning about what athletics was," he added.

"I went to my first English Schools, started doing a bunch of other events and met a load of really cool people.

"I just thought that long term, athletics is what I can do, we have a whole country of footballers but not so many athletics stars.

"I felt that I could be who I wanted to be in athletics and make my own name for myself rather than just being one of a million in football.

"When I got told I had been selected for the Commonwealth Youth Games I couldn't believe it.

"I thought my mum was joking, it is just a huge honour to think that I am going to represent my country."

>Follow Team England’s performances at Trinbago 2023 at www.teamengland.org #BringItHome