Paul Drinkhall will be the overwhelming favourite to defend his title at the second UK School Games in Coventry next month.

In addition to wining the individual gold medal,the 17-year-old from Cleveland led the North-East team to victory at the inaugural event in Glasgow last year.

Since then he 's secured his place at the top of the British senior rankings so will be a formidable target for his opponents at this unique multi-sport event for the best youngsters in the country.

The last time any of his junior rivals beat him was in March,so there 's a huge amount of expectation on the teenager,though he says he doesn 't feel any extra pressure to perform.

"I am expected to win so I 'll go there and just try to play my own game and hopefully come away with the gold medal,"he said."In every competition I go to win whether I 'm top seed or number 15."

1,300 children will compete in the 2007 UK School Games which will see eight different sports held at five venues from August 23-26.

The event has been designed to replicate a major adult multi-sport competition and will have an opening and closing ceremony plus an athletes 'village.

Drinkhall has already experienced one of the world 's biggest adult competitive arenas at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last year,where he was the youngest member of the English table tennis team.But he believes the UK School Games compares well.

He said:"It was good because all the other athletes got to see my name up there.When we were at the closing ceremony everyone asked me how I 'd done and I could say I 'd won and they started asking about the sport which was good.

"It was also special because it was all the home nations.I 'd have liked it to have been even longer so I had more time to meet people."

Drinkhall will have all of his team- mates from the 2006 title-winning quartet alongside him again in Coventry,so it 's odds-on that the Cleveland sportsman will be bringing back another two gold medals to add to his rapidly growing collection.

£2.3m in National Lottery funding has been awarded to the Youth Sport Trust to develop the UK School Games until 2011 and for the 2007 Games.Visa is the presenting sponsor of the 2007 Games which is being supported by Coventry City Council.

For tickets call 0871 230 1080 or online at www.ukschoolgames.com