A TROON teenager was vice-captain of a UK ice hockey team that reached the final of an international tournament.

It was the first time an under-16 squad had represented the United Kingdom at that level and they performed well, narrowly losing to host nation Spain in the final.

Jordan Buesa, a student at Wellington School in Ayr, was proud of being a captain of the first-ever GB team, as well as the achievement of getting to the final.

Having first ventured on to the ice at just two-years-old and played for a local under-10 team, Jordan has just spent a year with Canadian professional club, Toronto Titans.

He said: “We were just a new GB team and had not had the chance for much practice when we took part in the under-16 International Tournament at Valdemoro in Madrid.

“I felt we were unlucky to lose 4-3 to Spain in the final as we had already beaten them in the round-robin stage of the competition, but we have now earned promotion to a higher grade.

“It was a big competition to take part in, being played in a good arena, and we also beat teams from Romania, Poland, Holland and Croatia to reach the final.

“They were all tough opponents but we have come through and will move to a higher division in the world championship.”

Looking ahead, Jordan would like to take his ice hockey career as far as he can, and reveals that he has competitive aspirations.

“Playing in Toronto was a good standard and a building block for me. I have ambitions to play for a professional team, and Braehead Clan are in that category, or maybe further afield.

“For now I am catching up with my exams back here, as I passed some of them while in Canada but have to study my second semester work’, he added.

Canada is the home of ice-hockey and during his time there, Jordan was coached by two famous ex-Toronto Maple Leaf players Darcy Tucker and Brian McLaughlin.

Next on the horizon for Jordan is a match with the Scotland under-19s who take on England in Sheffield on April 29.