Courtney Tulloch on the rings Picture: Helen Cooper

Maidstone gymnast Courtney Tulloch believes his international rivals have no choice but to sit up and take note after going for gold at last week’s European Youth Olympic Festival.

The 15-year-old was a constant figure on the podium in Trabzon, kicking things off by helping Great Britain to second in the team event, before going it alone to achieve one better.

Tulloch breezed past all that was in front of him to claim the all-round title, thanks to amassing 82.400 points, following it up with gold in the rings final.

And after leaving Turkey with a hat-trick of medals around his neck, Pegasus Gymnastics Club’s Tulloch was left to toast a job well done after conquering his nerves in his first Olympic-style competition.

"The European Youth Olympic Festival went well, I’m so pleased and proud that I managed to come away with so many medals – the all-round title being the best as everyone wants to win that one," said Tulloch, who benefits from being on the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes Initiative.

"I was nervous about this event because I knew this competition was one of the biggest of the year and I had been training for a long time for this.

"But competing in the team event beforehand settled me down a bit for the all-round but even after that I had qualified in first place, so that made me a bit more nervous.

"I started on the floor and that was good but the pommel horse was a bit shaky.

"The rings is one of my strongest events and I was pleased with that performance and the vault went well – that’s one of my favourite events.

"The parallel bar was a bit shaky and the horizontal bar but I did enough to win, which is the main thing and I’m so relieved that I managed to pull it off."

Tulloch’s medal haul was not the only reason he had to cheer in Turkey, as he was also handed the honour of carrying the Union Jack flag for the closing ceremony – a fitting reward for his competition success.

And the New Line Learning Academy pupil admits that the experience will live long in his memory, just as he hopes he will in that of his rivals.

"The Russians are starting to know me and the Europeans, too, and I’m going to be right up there, going for the win in all competitions from now."

Lloyds TSB, in partnership with SportsAid, is providing awards of £1,000 to 344 emerging athletes on their journey to London 2012 and beyond. Follow your Lloyds TSB Local Hero at www.facebook.com/lloydstsblocalheroes