Young Kenilworth ice hockey star is hoping his world championship efforts will inspire others to take up the sport

Zaine McKenzie playing for Milton Keynes Lightning. Picture supplied.

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Having won a bronze medal with Team GB Under-20s at the World Championships last year, Zaine Mckenzie is dreaming of bringing home gold from the event in Lithuania next month

A young ice hockey star from Kenilworth is hoping that his international efforts will inspire others to take up the sport.

Zaine Mckenzie, 20, plays on the right wing for Milton Keynes Lightning and next month he will be part of the Team GB Under-20s squad competing in the World Championships in Lithuania.

The team won a bronze medal at the same event in Romania last year but Zaine wants to better this achievement this time around.

Zaine McKenzie playing for Team GB. Picture supplied.

He said: “All I want is that gold medal.

“This will be my last chance to compete in this tournament at this age level so we’re going to give it our all.”

As a youngster, Zaine would go ice skating with his grandmother Elizabeth in Coventry at least twice a week.

His talent for ice skating was noticed by one of the team managers and he was asked to try out for the Coventry Blaze ice hockey team.

He played for their junior teams before making an appearance for the first team in a pre-season match.

He also spent two years living in Canada and playing for the Ontario Hockey Academy’s Under-18s team.

After that he signed for Milton Keynes and, while also studying accounting and finance at The University of Northampton, he says the sport is now much more than just a hobby for him.

Zaine said: “Ice skating became more of an obsession than a hobby and then I started to think of ways I could take that and implement it into my life.

"I’d love to play in the NHL , I’m aiming to play at as high a level as possible.

"It’s just such a fun sport and because it’s very niche in England everyone who plays is so supportive of each other.

"I’ve met so many friends through it and travelled all over the world.

“I’d say to any young person who is insterested in playing to cherise those moment when they are out on the ice and to take every opportunity they can.”

Zaine can be followed on Twitter at @ZaineMckenzie or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zainemckenzie/?hl=en