Birmingham is an unlikely start in life for a champion windsurfer — but that’s the birthplace of Maya Morris, who has scooped the world championship for under 19s.

Maya, 17, moved with her family from the UK to Eilat when she was just five and it was at the Israeli resort’s sailing clubthat she learned to windsurf when only 10 years old.

“It started as a hobby but I began competing in contests abroad about three years ago”, said Maya.

She had to juggle training for the world championships, held at Lake Garda, Italy last week, with studying for her final-year school exams.

“It’s been a really tough year”, she added.

Maya’s grandmother, Faye Morris, was once the honorary British consul in Eilat and her late grandfather, Reginald, was known throughout the Negev as doctor to the Bedouins.

“Lake Garda was my first win — I’ve come second and third but never won before”, said Maya, who beat the British competitor into second place.

Next challenges for the teenager are to compete in a new windsurfing competition in Japan in September, go into the Israeli army in October and bid hard to be the sole Israeli windsurfer competing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.