A TAVISTOCK College sixth former has been selected as one of the top 15 A-level physics students in the UK.
Gavin Leithall, aged 18, has been taking part in the rigorous selection process to find five A-level students to represent the United Kingdom in the International Physics Olympiad in Taiwan later this year.
Gavin, from Bere Alston, has fended off the challenge of hundreds of other hopefuls from across the country, with magnificent performances in two demanding exam papers.
He is through to the final 15 and will now attend a special training camp at Abingdon School, where the five UK entrants will be selected.
Gavin, who attended Bere Alston Primary School before Tavistock College, said he had not expected to come this far in the competition.
?I was very surprised to get through because the last paper was extremely difficult and there were a few questions I didn?t think I had answered properly,? he said. ?But I had obviously done better than I thought.
?The next stage at Abingdon sounds quite scary, but I?ve come this far so who knows? I could progress.?
As well as physics, Gavin is studying maths, further maths and chemistry for his A-levels. He hopes to read maths and physics at Bath University next year.
He said: ?I?ve always found physics really interesting, but I tend to think of maths as my strongest subject. My dad has a degree in mechanical engineering, so perhaps that?s where I get it from.
?I?m looking forward to university, especially as my course involves a year in industry where I?ll have the chance to see what really happens.?
Gavin will be heading for Abingdon in April for the next stage of the competition and, if successful, will compete in Taiwan in July.