Leeds boxer Ashfaq Games bound as BOA name development squad

The list includes 130 athletes and 56 coaches across 44 sporting disciplines and will give the participants first-hand experience of the Olympic Games environment.

The programme will focus on preparing the athletes and coaches for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

This summer, the participants will visit the Team GB’s preparation camp at Loughborough University as well as the Olympic Village, and they will get the chance to attend two sessions of competition.

One of the athletes included in the programme is 19-year-old Leeds boxer Qais Ashfaq, who has the Games in Rio in four years time firmly in his sights.

“For me it’s always been Brazil in 2016, that’s what I’ve been gearing up to. Good things come to people who wait and hopefully 2016 will be my time.”

Ashfaq took up boxing at an early age and says that he took to it straight away.

“I started when I was nine or 10 so I’ve been doing it eight or nine years now. My cousin used to box. I remember the first day I was at the gym with my coach in Leeds and he took me and it just clicked.

“I just had the right moves, they were just naturally there.”

Despite this natural ability, the young boxer admits that he didn’t make the smoothest of starts to his career.

“My first international ever was against a Russian who was European champion so it wasn’t exactly the easiest fight,” said Ashfaq who learnt to box at Burmantofts Amateur Boxing Club at Harehills in Leeds.

“But I’ve been adjusting well, I’ve been learning and getting the most out of the experiences and it’s coming together now because I won the Commonwealth Youth Games last year.”

“These little senior tournaments are where I’ll get the experience and then when it comes to Europeans and Worlds I’ll be a bit more established, bigger for the weight, more mature and hopefully I’ll bring in the medals.

“I spar with the seniors, so I know that even in the senior ranks I can hold my own. I was nervous a couple of years ago but now I know how it feels to spar with the seniors I’m a lot more relaxed. I’m thriving on it really.”

Ashfaq trains with Team GB member and Hull-born Luke Campbell at the Team GB boxing base at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

“Luke deserves his Olympic chance, he’s been around for years. He’s been on top for years and with him qualifying at my weight, I’m happy for him,” said Ashfaq.

“I’ve sparred with him a good few times and learnt a lot from him. Every time I spar with him I feel like I’m improving and learning more.

“I’m good mates with Luke, I want to see him succeed personally so I’ll be down there shouting for him and hopefully see him win that gold.”

With his natural boxing ability and Pakistani background, Ashfaq has inevitably been compared to 2004 Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan, but the young prospect says it is not something that bothers him: “It’s good because it’s something to live up to, but he won the silver in the Olympics and I want to go one better and win the gold!

“My parents are from Pakistan, as are his, so we’ve got similar backgrounds and are from the same culture.

“Because of that and because I’ve been compared to him so much I do look up to him a bit more.”

Joining Ashfaq in the programme are Leeds-based triathlete Lois Rosindale, Sheffield-based freestyle skiier Katie Summerhayes and equestrian jumper Matthew Sampson, also from Sheffield.