SPENNYMOOR fighter Jamie Abley’s budding Taekwondo career has taken another step in the right direction after he was selected to represent Great Britain at the upcoming ETU European Under-21 Championships.

Abley’s selection is all the more impressive bearing in mind that the 18-year-old, who hails from Middlestone Moor, lost his place in the World Class programme in 2013, but his dedication to continue has been rewarded with this latest selection.

“This is a great vote of confidence from GB for Jamie,” said father Andrew. “He has kept working and been awarded with selection for the Under-21s.”

The championships take place in Innsbruck, Austria, between September 26-28, and the County Durham teenager feels that his training and preparation has gone well so far.

“It’s been good, I’ve been training twice a day with my brother (Scott, a Great Britain coach), as much as I can really before I fly out,” Jamie said.

“I’m getting in as much work as I can before the competition starts.

“I feel alright, I got to the quarters the last time I competed at this level so a medal is the aim this time and maybe even to go and win it. I’m feeling good, confident.”

Abley comes from a family of talented taekwondo competitors with older brother Scott, and younger sister Simone also having represented their country in the sport, and this is something which Jamie says has really enhanced his development and given him the encouragement to achieve success

He said: “Training with my brother is a great help and when my sister is out of school I train with her as well. It’s great, it really drives me on.”

Jamie has had a truly wonderful youth career to date with an impressive haul of medals including a bronze at the French Open in 2010 during his first season as a Junior, a silver at the Parks Pokal competition in Germany in 2011 ahead of 45 other competitors, gold at the Nottingham Open in March 2011, Silver at the Belgium A Class Open in April 2011, gold at the Dutch Masters in Rotterdam in June 2011 and a bronze for GB at the 2011 Junior European Championships in Cyprus.

Moving into the senior arena, Jamie has his aims set high for the future.

“My goals are to get points on the board for future Olympic Games and to push on and try to get selected for the national side and get back into the senior team,” he said.

His appetite for success was no doubt wetted by his experience at the London Olympics in 2012, when he was part of team GB’s support squad, even sparring with gold medallist Jade Jones.

However, the five-time British champion feels that Rio 2016 might just be out of reach for the moment.

“I’ve not got enough points really to be aiming for Rio, but if things go my way then maybe.”