Illias Zghoundi (right) with Swiss superstar Marcel Hug

POTENTIAL Paralympian Illias Zghoundi has just returned home after spending three days fulfilling a dream when he shared the track with some of the fastest athletes on the planet in his first-ever international competition.

The teenager, who lives in West Hampstead, lined up alongside some of his Paralympian heroes, world champions and world record holders as he competed over 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m distances at the Nottwil Grand Prix in Switzerland.

It was “by far” Illias’s biggest racing meet so far, and despite describing it as “a very humbling experience”, the 17-year-old showed just why he’s being tipped for the very top as he recorded a personal best in the 800m after clocking a time of 1 minute, 51.30 seconds.

“It was a great experience,” said Illias. “Everywhere I turned my head, there was a world champion or a Paralympian. It was by far the biggest track meet that I’ve ever competed in.

“It felt really good getting the PB in the 800m. The meet was being streamed live and every time I turned around it felt like there was a camera pointed at me, so I felt like I had to perform well.”

Among his heroes that Illias got to meet was Swiss Paralympic superstar Marcel Hug – a man who knows a thing or two about what it takes to perform on the big stage. The “Silver Bullet” has won no fewer than six Paralympic golds, been crowned world champion 12 times and collected six European titles to date – not to mention multiple marathon wins across the globe.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever got to race elite athletes from around the world at this level,” added Illias. “When we would be getting ready before a race they would be giving me tips and advice, it was a great experience, and a very humbling experience.”

Illias’s next big challenge comes away from the track. He is currently fundraising for a new specialised racing wheelchair so that he can continue his dream of one day representing Team GB at the Paralympics. But competing in the sport that he loves is expensive, with the racing wheelchair alone costing upwards of £25,000.

Explaining that his current wheelchair is heavy and harder to steer, Illias said: “The new racing wheelchair would allow me to make a considerable jump in my performances and help me improve on my times. Any help would be appreciated, whether it is donating to this fundraiser, or simply sharing the link to your social media channels and networks. It would really mean a lot.”

• To support Illias with his goal of getting a new racing wheelchair visit www.gofundme.com and search Illias Zghoundi.