At the age of just seven, Freia Challis is getting set to fly the flag for Great Britain.

The young BMX ace from Halstead will be heading to Zolder in Belgium next week where she will be competing on the opening day of the 2015 UCI BMX World Championships.

Challis earned her place on Tuesday’s start line thanks to some superb form in a debut racing season that ended with her claiming second spot in a thrilling six-and-unders class final at last year’s British Championships at Cyclopark in Kent.

That gave her the ranking points she needed to head to Zolder as part of Britain’s team and Challis, whose form has seen her win a sponsorship deal with DK Bicycles UK Factory Team, has continued to bolster her reputation with strong rides in 2015.

Challis, who rides for Braintree Bullets BMX Club, is currently lying third in the seven to eight female class of the British BMX Series with two rounds remaining and she is excited about competing on the biggest stage of all.

Her father, Tony, said: “I think she’ll take it all in her stride.

“She has been racing in the National Series and there have been some big events that she’s been doing well at, especially the indoor one in Manchester when she finished second and third.

“She just loves it and is so excited to be going to the Worlds.

“Her coaches at Braintree Bullets have said she is a phenomenon because she is doing things that only riders who are much older than her can.

“She is very sporty in general and her school – St Andrew’s in Halstead – have been very supportive as she is on the gifted and talented programme there so she gets additional support. They’ve also been very helpful with allowing her some time off when she has needed to go away to compete."