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London calling is the golden goal for Dan
Captain of Wigton Moor's junior football team, a black belt at judo and making waves for the City of Leeds Swimming Club; even as a child, Dan Gardiner was something of an all-rounder.
No surprise then that the Alwoodley teenager is now Britain's hottest young decathlete and gunning for glory ahead of London 2012.
Gardiner, who turns 19 today, is currently ranked the world's best junior following a record-breaking victory at the UK Junior Championships in Stoke.
The Leeds City ace smashed the tournament's points record and will head to next month's European Junior Championships in Serbia hoping to bring back gold.
For Gardiner, the Olympic Games is the ultimate dream as the former Allerton High School pupil threatens to become the next Daley Thompson if his progress continues.
Spoilt for sporting choice as a youngster, it is little wonder that Gardiner and the decathlon have proved a match made in heaven.
"As a kid, I was always into sport," the birthday boy conceded. "I was captain of my local football team – Wigton Moor – and captained my school football team. I did judo – I got to a black belt in that – and I swam for the City of Leeds.
"I was always trying all different sports and then I got into athletics and went down to Carnegie.
"Basically, I met my coach Mike Stayman, who is still my coach now, when I was about 12.
"His opinion on athletics is that you should always try all of the events because you never know which one you're going to be good at.
"While I didn't specialise in anything, I was a pretty good all-rounder.
"I had a good sports background across different events so it kind of suited me and I just took it from there.
"I kept training at all the events and it slowly came together. Eventually, I became a decathlete."
In fact, the rankings confirm Gardiner – who trains at Leeds Carnegie and South Leeds Stadium – is no ordinary decathlete.
Sport clearly runs in the family genes with Gardiner's 15-year-old brother Jacob also a hugely talented athlete and a national junior champion in the pentathlon.
Buoyed by that impressive success at the UK Juniors, and an international victory in a heptathlon, Gardiner senior will arrive in Serbia – where he competes on July 23 and 24 – with confidence brimming.
"The European Junior Championships is a massive one for me," said Gardiner, who attended St Matthews Church of England Primary School in Chapel Allerton. "I went to the World Junior Championships last year.
That was in Poland, but I was bottom of the age group really. That was more of a learning curve and it was just nice to get there. This year I've got to the European Championships with ease so I want to go there and come away with a medal. I go in as the favourite, and anything can happen, but I've just got to deal with that.
"If I put everything together there is no reason why I can't do well."
Gardiner also admits that sibling rivalry provides he and Jacob with extra motivation.
"He is doing the same kind of thing as me, though he's doing the octathlon which is two events less because he is younger," he added.
"Last year he won the English Championship, so it's looking good for him, and he's breaking all my personal bests that I did at his age! "I'm always saying 'you're never going to break these performances' but then he goes and does it – so there's a lot of rivalry!"
Gardiner's gruelling event brings together the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m.
The 19-year-old thrives at long jump – recording a UK junior best of 7.33m in his recent championship success – but even his weakest discipline of javelin is receiving specialist attention from one of Britain's best.
"Long jump is my strongest event, but the javelin has been my weakest," Gardiner conceded.
"That's slowly improving though as I've been doing some work with Mick Hill, who has just become the director of athletics at Leeds Carnegie.
"I've had a few sessions with him and it has been going well."
Gardiner has also been benefiting from a year out of education since finishing his A-levels last year, though he is set to start a Sports and Exercise Science Scholarship at Leeds Carnegie in September.
The challenge of juggling education with a hugely promising sporting career is on the horizon, but Gardiner has his feet firmly on the ground.
Indeed, he has no plans to over-indulge in the infamous university lifestyle, admitting home comforts are crucial to his currently successful routine.
"I finished my A-levels last year and I've just been focusing on training and it's paid off. It's been a good move," he said.
"It's been nice just to relax as well, not having anything to do, and just train.
"The good thing about the scholarship scheme at Leeds Carnegie is that they can balance it out well. They look after you.
"I am probably going to stay at home for the first year next year as just moving out it can affect your training.
"The funny thing is, you come home and your food is going to be on the table, and that's great, but it's not just that – you don't want your sleep pattern affected too much.
"Maybe after a year – my older athlete mates have got a house, so maybe I can go and join them."
By then, Gardiner could be just two years from a place in Team GB at London 2012, something he admits would be a dream come true.
Just making the host nation's team is his initial aim but he is clearly targeting a long and successful international career with the 2016 Games already on his mind.
"London 2012 would be a dream and it's on home soil," he said.
"I will be quite young, but I definitely think I can get there. That would be a great first Olympics with it being in your home country.
"You could use that one as say a learning curve and then in 2016 go for it and hopefully do well.
"Next year another option is maybe the Commonwealth Games as that will be my first year as a senior.
"That is in Delhi I think, so that would be a really good one to aim for looking towards 2012."
Plenty to dream of and plenty to look forward to but, first and foremost, celebrations are in order this evening as the sociable young man with a love for eating out and shopping sees in his 19th birthday.
However, Gardiner's sporting ambitions come first and there'll be no late night shenanigans – he's booked in to compete in the long jump at the British Individual Junior Championships in Bedford this weekend.
"I'm competing on the Saturday so I can't have a mad night, but I am just going to go out today and spend some money buying new stuff," he revealed.
"I'll still be training on Thursday so I'll go out for a nice meal with all my mates after training.
"I can't have a late night but I think on the weekend – on the Saturday night or the Sunday night – we'll go out and have a big celebration.
"I might have one night to treat myself!"
Gardiner will no doubt be allowed more than that should he produce the goods come 2012 or 2016.
Ends
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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