Cornwall surfer Lukas Skinner sights on Olympics 2028

Lukas Skinner, 15, is already making waves in the watersport.

He came second in the junior world championships last month - after winning a major international competition earlier this year.

Lukas, from Perranporth, Cornwall, comes from a surfing family.

His dad Ben Skinner is a multiple longboarding champion and his two younger siblings are both talented surfers too.

Speaking from the Wave, an inland surf destination, Lukas said the Los Angeles games in five years is his goal.

And he hopes longboard is featured as an event - so Ben can compete too.

Lukas said: "Longboarding looks like it's maybe going to be in the Olympics and my dad's a longboarder so he's looking to go for that.

"If we can both get in the 2028 Olympics that's the big goal."

Lukas beat competitors from around the world to win the World Grom Search Finals in Australia in April.

He said at the being the first British surfer to hold the title was "special" and a "surreal" experience.

And the teen came away from the ISA World Junior Championships with a silver earlier this month - after breaking his foot just months before.

Lukas won the silver medal at the World Junior Surfing Championships in Brazil - the highest ranking ever for a British surfer (Image: Tom Wren/SWNS)

He won every heat on his way to the under 16s final at Macumba Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

And Lukas was less than half a point away from the winner, Spaniard Hans Odriozola, also 15.

Lukas said he tries to balance his international success with the normal life of a schoolboy.

He said: "It's super hard but my school have been amazing - they've been really supportive and made it work.

"Trying to make it work is hard but I'm doing my best."

Lukas says his first memories of being "in the water" start aged two.

He said: "From five I remember surfing with friends - I still surf there now.

"It's always been a big thing, especially watching my dad.

"It's a really good time to be at this age in surfing - it's been amazing."

Now Lukas' younger sister, aged 13, and younger brother, aged eight, surf too - with sister Lila on the Team England Junior squad.

And there are hopes there could be the whole family at future Olympics.

Lukas said: "The fire [my dad] gets from competition has followed on to me and I just love competing.

"When the surf's good we're always comparing who got the best wave that day.

"My sister is progressing so much. It's really cool to see.

"And my brother did his first contest the other day and won it.

"[Young surfers] just keep believing, it's going to be hard but keep training, keep surfing and stay positive."

Lukas was speaking at the Wave, near Bristol, where he trains.

His dad Ben is a 12-time European longboarding champion and is currently third on the World Surf League's longboard world rankings.

Nick Hounsfield is the founder of the Wave and chair at Surfing England.

He said the complex offers the chance to find "new people who would never even try surfing because they live in the inner city".

Nick said: "It's one thing to live by the coast when you have access to waves.

"But to actually bring a slice of the ocean inland for school kids who have never been to the sea before and get good at surfing here is amazing to see.

"What would be great [is] if we could find more and more potential athletes.

"We're right at the beginning in terms of funded support - now it's part of the Olympic program we can open up conversation with UK Sport and government bodies to find surfing for the first time."