LOCAL skateboarder Lola Tambling has secured herself a place at the Paris summer Olympics.

The 16-year old from Saltash accrued enough points at the weekend Budapest qualifier to represent Team GB in the women’s park skateboarding category.

Placed 17th overall, she is one of the top 22 skateboarders in the world who get the chance to compete at the summer games, starting on July 26.

Lola said: “It was tough and I didn’t know whether I’d get through after having a fall in the Shanghai qualifying event. But I wanted to give it my all at Budapest to try and get points to make it through. I still can’t believe it, it’s like a dream.”

Lola learnt to skateboard, aged 8, at the community Junkyard Skatepark in Saltash which was set up by her parents Martyn and Stephanie Tambling.

She has had to compete around the world to make up the points needed to qualify; she was placed 6th in the finals at Sharjah, UAE and also competed in Argentina, Rome, Shanghai and now Budapest.

Lola’s mother Stephanie Tambling said: “Lola is such an inspiration. We are in awe of how amazing she is, and super proud. She’s worked so hard to achieve this and it just shows, if you believe in yourself, you can reach your goals.”