WALLYFORD star Micky Yule has his sights on becoming a two-weight European powerlifting champion at the weekend.

Yule, who grew up in the village, travelled to France yesterday (Wednesday) ahead of the competition on Sunday.

The 39-year-old former soldier, who lost both legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan in 2010, goes into the event as the defending 80kg European champion following victory in Hungary in 2015.

But, instead of defending that title, Yule has trimmed down and set his sights on the -72kg category.

Before he set off for France, he told Courier Sport: “I’m moving down a weight and I want to become a two-weight champion.

“I’m hoping that a lift of 183kg + will bring me that gold medal.”

Yule narrowly missed out a medal at the recent Commonwealth Games in Australia, finishing fourth – the second Games in a row he has finished one place outside the medals.

But it was a remarkable achievement he even made it to the Gold Coast at all.

Last September, Yule underwent major surgery, known as osseointegration, as part of a Ministry of Defence trial that saw a titanium rod inserted into his femur – which had to be broken to make the rod fit properly.

He broke the same bone again on Christmas Eve, his 39th birthday, collapsing in a heap in the driveway of the home he shares with wife Jody, son Charlie and daughter Tilly in Lincoln.

After returning from the Games last month, rehabilitation has been at the forefront of Yule’s mind.

“After coming back from the Gold Coast I had a week at home with my family, then I was straight back to the rehab centre for therapy on my leg,” he said.

Yule, an Invictus Games gold medallist in 2016, added: “My lifts in the Gold Coast really pushed it to the extreme so I needed to make sure there were no new fracture sites.

“I’ve had the support of Sportscotland Institute of Sport, who have enabled my coach [Neil Crosbie] to come down and help me train.”

Now Yule has travelled to Berck-sur-Mer, about 50 miles south of Calais, as he looks to add a second European crown to his impressive list of para-powerlifting prizes.

On Saturday, he took time out of his schedule to attend the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

When Yule became the first Brit to win a medal at the 2016 Invictus Games, Prince Harry was in the stands cheering him on. The Wallyford-born star said the prince was a “top lad” after presenting him with his gold medal. He turns his attention to his quest for European gold on Sunday.