Heart of Portsmouth Boxing Academy starlet Holly Heffron has 'Olympic potential'

That's how highly coach Q Shillingford rates the next HOP fighter he anticipates to make it onto the Great Britain team.

The coronavirus outbreak might have stalled the Chichester-based boxer's promising progress last year.

But Shillingford says it will turn out to be just a minor bump in the road as Heffron bids to make it right to the top.

The former Bishop Luffa School pupil had planned for a gap year to focus on boxing in 2020 before Covid-19 put paid to that.

Despite not being able to spar or have bouts, Heffron's drive remained as she worked tirelessly with Shillingford on her strength and technique.

It also meant the 18-year-old missed out on competing at the European Youth Championships in November.

But Shillingford has constantly reiterated to Heffron that this will be her year as she hopes to secure selection for April’s AIBA World Youth Championships in Poland.

‘She’s got the potential to go to an Olympic Games,' insisted Shillingford.

'She’s won the English title, she’s been up hovering around and gone to European tournaments and boxed for England on many occasions.

‘Last year was going to be her year, she’d just finished school, she was taking a gap year and we were trying to get her on Team GB because she was that good.

‘The whole year was basically lost to Covid and I’m absolutely gutted.

‘But she’s worked on her strength, worked on her stance, worked on switching, we’ve worked on loads of stuff.

‘I can’t wait for her to get out there.

'As far as I’m concerned, Holly Heffron is the number one in the country and if anyone should go to the World Youth Championships ... because she was selected for the Europeans but they got cancelled, the next one is the World Championships.'

Heffron claimed a maiden national title at the England Youth Championships last year before the Covid-19 pandemic virtually shutdown the sport.

When the teenager is allowed to return to training this year, full focus will be on the upcoming Worlds.

However, with Heffron soon to be progressing into the senior ranks, Shillingford is then set to take his star performer to Sheffield in a bid to get her onto Team GB.

‘I’ve constantly been reminding her this is her year and as soon as Team GB is back we’ll be up there,' he remarked.

‘I was going to take her to Team GB for sparring.

‘I will take Holly up there very, very soon. As soon as she can have a couple of spars, we’ll go up there and put her on display.'