Five-star Simran Kaur eyes Olympics

Kaur, 17, is national youth champion again after a stunning display over the finals weekend where she cruised through her semi-final and final bouts.

She was unanimous points decision winner over Portsmouth’s Holly Heffron in the last four of the 51kg category before seeing off Savannah Stubley, of Empire School of Boxing in Newcastle, by the same outcome in the final in Banbury. And Kaur’s achievements, including a European silver medal for England last year, have the head coaches of Team GB impressed and setting lofty Olympic targets.

“She was amazing, class, we didn’t expect anything less,” said brother and coach Harry Dhillon. “She went out their and made big improvements. We’ve been working on her strength and speed. She’s always been a very good boxer but she’s so tall, the compact girls have that strength. We’ve worked a lot on strength but she’s improved in everything.

“She beat the British No.1 (in her age) in December and has beat her three from three now. Now it’s her time. I spoke to GB head coach Mick Driscoll there and he said it’s pushing on for 2020 now. She’d be 18, the youngest there (in Tokyo), but she’s more than capable. She’s beat them all.”

Kaur now trains at Kings Heath Boxing Club in Northampton and has recently been working closely with a strength coach in Birmingham.

She plans to boost her experience with international events in Finland and contests against Russian and Ukraine rivals with England in the next few months.

Kaur will then represent her country in May’s Tri-Nations in Wales, against the hosts and Scotland, a competition she has enjoyed real success in the past.

And September brings another chance to break her European gold medal duck. Kaur has three silvers in the continental event, but is aiming to go all the way to add to her growing collection.