WHEN Dean Macey competes in the decathlon in the Commonwealth Games this summer there will be one lad who is watching extremely closely.

Burnley AC athlete Colin Bailey is keen to emulate the World Champion silver medallist and will be competing in his first ten eventer this summer.

The 18-year-old is hoping to be the next 'Dean Macey' and he has got tickets for every day but one in Manchester so he can see how his hero does it first hand.

"I should be able to see him competing so it will be absolutely fantastic," said the Habergham High School Sixth Form pupil who prefers Macey to former decathlon favourite Daley Thompson.

"He has really impressed me and he is strong in most of the events."

The decathlon consists of the long jump, the high jump, the 110m hurdles, the 100m sprint, the discus, shot and javelin, the pole vault, the 400m and the final event is always the 1,500m.

Colin admits he is 'okay' at some of them but is outstanding at two - the high jump and the hurdles.

He recently came third in the North of England Pentathlon Indoor Championships in Gateshead where he jumped 1m 93 in the high jump.

This equalled his personal best and he was delighted.

"To do this in March is really good," said Colin. "Now I want to break 2m this summer, that is my aim.

"It was nice to get a medal in Gateshead as all through my career I have tended to finish fourth or fifth and just missed out on medals!"

The high jump world record is a frightening 2.45 while Steve Smith has the British record of 2.26.

"I sometimes think that I might be able to get near that in the future but I need to have the motivation to keep myself going.

"I have got to work on my technique, my strength and fitness but you never know. I will just have to see how it goes. It is a case of fine tuning and if I don't succeed, at least I am getting plenty of exercise!"

His other star event is the 110m hurdles - he is Lancashire champion - where his personal best is 15.8 seconds.

It is some way off Colin Jackson's World record of 12.91 but Colin thinks this summer he may be able to get his time down.

"Again, it is working on technique and general fitness."

He was meant to make his debut in the decathlon last year but an injury forced him to be sidelined for most of the summer.

"It is one of the hazards but I was doing the pole vault and I twisted my ankle when I landed. It does make me a bit reluctant now as I was out for three and a half months.

"I have had a few other mishaps as well but it is an event I really enjoy. I like the technical ones. My best is 3m 60cm which is okay, it isn't brilliant but it isn't too bad.

"I go to Wigan as they have indoor facilities there every Wednesday night to train with a special coach John Mitchell. Hopefully I should be able to improve it."

Colin also trains at Blackburn's Witton Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays under the watchful eye of high jump coach Joe Fleming and hurdles coach Bob Groves.

"I do enjoy training, I think that is what makes a difference."

He does admit, however, that not all the events are to his liking.

"I don't particularly like the 100m. I am not too good at that.

"And the 1,500m, I have never trained for that in my life but I do have a time of 4 min50 secs- although that was two years ago.

"And I am not particularly built for the shot or discus. I'm not too good at them either - but I can get by."

And there is the danger that he doesn't practise enough the events he isn't too hot at.

"I tend to avoid them at Open meetings when you can only compete in three events. I usually go for my favourites which is not a good idea. But I can't help it as I stand a chance of winning in those!"

Colin, who is studying for his A-Levels and is hoping to go to Loughborough University to study business and finance, will find out all about the pain of doing five events each day over a weekend when he takes part in the Lancashire Championships in April.

He will take part in single events one weekend - the hurdles, pole vault and high jump - and then make his debut in the decathlon over the next championship weekend.

He is expected to be Lancashire Champion - not many people compete in the ten events - that would take him through to the North West finals and from there he hopes to make the National finals.

He hasn't got a ranking in Britain but, at Under 15, he was ranked seventh in the pentathlon and then, as an Under 17, was sixth in Britain over eight events.

"I took it up as I found I enjoyed it and was quite good at a number of the events.

"Soon I will see how good I am over the ten."