DORSET champion Jack MacGregor has taken a step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional badminton player.

The teenager has been selected to represent England in the eight nations European Championships in Oradour-sur-Glane, France in February.

MacGregor’s target is to win the team competition with England and bring home a medal in the individual competition.

He has made good use of his off-season training in Malaysia and India, and at an England camp over the summer holidays.

MacGregor attends LeAF Elite Athlete Academy in Bournemouth and is benefiting from one-to-one coaching with Liam Cordery.

“The school is second to none for elite athletes and have put together a personal timetable for Jack to enable him to take 10 GCSEs as well as fit in his intensive training programme,” said Cordery.

There is also time set aside for elite training at Westgate EPT in Winchester with coaches Graham Hurrell and Nigel Tier.

“This level of support and consistent training schedule has helped Jack to medal in every tournament entered so far this season at international, national and county level,” he added.

MacGregor has achieved seven out of nine semi-finals on the national U15 Gold circuit, and made three finals – achieving two gold medals and a silver.

The LeAF Academy School pupil also made the quarter-finals at the U17 Gold Surrey toppling the number two seed en route to the last eight. He also made the quarters in the boys’ doubles.

He has participated in one international this season travelling to Basel for the U15 Swiss Open, at the end of September.

“He showed his class by taking out the number three seed and Swiss home favourite, 11-10, 11-10, 11-10 – showing great mental toughness to take those crucial game points,” said Cordery.

“He then took out the French, the Austrians and another Swiss boy to reach the semi-finals, going down fighting to England number one Zach Russ.”

MacGregor is at the National Badminton Academy in Milton Keynes next month for England doubles training, while preparing for the eight nations tournament.