LEWIS’S GOLDEN GLOVES DREAM

Teenager wants to return from Bahamas a winner

An Airdrie boxer hopes to strike gold after being selected for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Lewis Johnstone, from Gartlea, will represent Team Scotland in the Bahamas next month where he will take on some of the best young boxers in the world.

The 17-year-old will compete in the 81kg category and only has his sights set on returning with a gold medal around his neck.

Lewis, who has been boxing since the age of 10, has had a great start to 2017 with silver at the Great Britain Three Nations Youth Championships.

He also performed brilliantly in his international debut with a bronze medal at the Pavlyukov Multi- Nation Tournament in Russia, commonly dubbed the ‘ Youth World Cup’.

This has given him the confidence to aim high on the other side of the world.

“I’m definitely going for gold,” he told the Advertiser.

“It’s an honour to be able to represent my country at a competition like this — but I’m going there to try to win. I have been on exam leave so it has meant I have been able to focus more on my training and I feel like I’m in great shape.

“I’ve been training three times a day at my gym, Forgewood, and that’s on top of Team Scotland sessions.”

He is looking forward to putting his name out on the global stage at the Games, which will run from July 18 to 23.

The Greenfaulds High School pupil admits the experience of travelling is one of his favourite things about boxing – and he can’t wait to step on the plane and make a name for himself.

The teenager said: “Although I’ve had success on the European stage, the Commonwealth Games puts a lot more eyes on you.

“When you say it to people they recognise the name right away, so to win there would really put me on the map.

“My focus is totally on going out there and proving myself.

“It’s not every day you have the chance to go to the Bahamas – I can’t wait to get going.”