OLYMPIC hopeful Samuel Dickinson and brother Thomas have taken on the world’s best.

Sam, 21, competed in the Under 23 Elite World Triathlon Championships in the Gold Coast, Australia, earlier this month, taking a silver medal home for team GB.

The Dickinson family moved to Andover four years.

Brother Thomas, who is 22 and studies sports science at Southampton Solent University, also raced in his age level on the day, having won the Bournemouth Triathlon a week earlier.

Sam studies sports and exercise science at Leeds University alongside training intensely with Team GB triathletes the Brownlee brothers.

Speaking of his sporty sons and their long-term ambitions in their fields, proud father Allister Dickinson said: “Sam’s sights are set on the Olympics, whether that is Tokyo (in 2020) or beyond, we just don’t know.

“Sam comes home when he can, but he trains 35 to 40 hours per week and studies for his degree on top of that.

“There’s a life in there somewhere but I haven’t seen it.

“There has to be a successor to the Brownlees, Sam may be part of the next era.

“Thomas does most of his cycling around this area.

“Andover is a good place to cycle, there are lots of good routes around here.

“He regularly took part in the Andover Wheelers Monoxton Time Trial.”

Reacting to securing the silver medal at the Under 23 Elite World Triathlon Championships, Sam said: “That’s one of the hardest races I’ve ever been a part of.

“I’m so happy to come away with a silver medal.”

Allister added: “He crossed the line absolutely spent.

“He gives a really gutsy performance, and everybody knows it.”