ASPIRING amateur boxer Chantel Whiting from Tavistock first laced up the gloves three years ago, representing and training with Mayflower ABC at the Royal Marine Barracks in Plymouth.

Since 2013 the 13 year-old has been in constant training and competitions nationwide, travelling as far as Alnwick, Northumberland, showing great ability, commitment and discipline to her craft.

She said: ’ I am a very motivated and competitive person, regularly setting goals and pushing myself to the limit’.

Chantel was duly rewarded for the hours of hard training and self motivation when she was crowned Western Counties Champion in 2015, along with reaching the National Final soon after.

’If I didn’t believe in myself, I wouldn’t have reached the National Finals or become Western Counties Champion last year,’ she added.

Chantel was also one of only three fighters in the country, given the opportunity to train with the British Amateur Boxing Association, to which she showed her enormous potential to some of the best coaches in the UK.

’When I am training or in competition, I am very focused and committed to the sport, constantly trying to adapt to any situation I am in. This definitely helped when meeting new people at the GB training camp’.

Chantel has certainly reaped the rewards and benefits for her hardcore training schedule and is continuing to do so, winning Oustanding Practical Performer at Tavistock College. She was also recently selected to take part in the prestigious Talent Inspiration Programme at Loughborough University in September 2016.

Running in parallel to the level 4 School Games, the Talent Inspiration Programme brings together 200 young aspiring athletes from across the country to participate in a multi sport event similar to the Olympic Games.

Throughout the programme, experienced mentors bring to life the world of an elite athlete and the journey it takes to reach the top. It gives athletes like Chantel the opportunity to participate in theoretical workshops and practical sessions.

The future is very bright for Chantel but she is firmly keeping her feet on the ground. She said: ’Boxing has given me the confidence to communicate with my peers on what I have and still have to learn in sport and in life, I am always willing to listen to others to continually improve myself.’

Chantel has just reached the England Boxing School National Finals at Grantham, in Lincolnshire on June 4.