Cawley closing in on Olympic dream

OLYMPIC PROSPECT: Oldham's Will Cawley

OLDHAM star in the making Will Cawley now has a terrific chance to achieve his Olympic dream after being promoted to the full GB Potential boxing squad.

Cawley (19) has just returned from a Team GB training camp in Colorado springs, USA, a fortnight-long trip he wasn't expecting to make.

Cawley, who fights in the 52kg category, said: "I was all geared up for a training camp in Tenerife with the Podium Potential squad.

"However, I got a call shortly before departure to tell me that I had been upgraded to the full Podium squad and I was going to Colorado instead.

'MOON'

"I was over the moon. I spent two weeks in the States at a brilliant training camp, and I learned so much.

"I was there with all the Rio Olympians and was sparring some top Olympians from other countries - it was just brilliant.

"It was a great experience for me and it's given me a huge confidence boost.

"I surprised myself how well I sparred over there.

"I was in there with some top class fighters, and getting the better of them.

"This is all really exciting for me. I'm now fully funded so I can concentrate solely on my training and of course the ultimate aim now is to make the GB squad for the next Olympics in Tokyo in 2020."

Holts-based Cawley appears to have a bright boxing career ahead of him now.

He was guided by the top GB coaching team of Rob McCracken, Dave Holloway, Paul Walmsley and Lee Pullen in Colorado, and appeared to make a good impression.

He now returns to the GB main training base in Sheffield, before heading off to Hungary tomorrow for a multi-nations tournament.

Another tournament in France beckons after that, while longer-term, Cawley will already have an eye on earning selection for the World Amateur Boxing Championships which are to be staged in Germany in August.