DAVID DOLAN was rubbing shoulders with Lennox Lewis earlier this year - now he wants to make 2004 the year he emulates Britain's world heavyweight champion.

Dolan, from Sunderland, was invited to Lewis's training camp in Pennsylvania in May just eight months after he took Commonwealth Games gold in Manchester.

That achievement saw him become the joint winner in the Over-16 Outstanding Performance category at last year's Local Heroes Awards, powered by npower.

Dolan freely admits 2003 has not gone as well as he had hoped, but he remains confident ahead of next summer's Olympics.

In 1988, Lewis boxed for Canada in the Olympics and followed up his victory in the Commonwealth Games two years earlier with gold in Seoul.

Dolan is determined to follow in Lewis's footsteps after deciding against turning professional as he pursues his Olympic dream.

He said: "I was in Pennsylvania for about two weeks and it's great to be asked to go to places like that.

"I saw how a top boxer like Lennox works and trains, and there's so much to be learnt from someone like Emanuel Steward, his trainer.

"I spoke to Lennox a couple of times but he didn't really know who I was, and unless he knew who you were he wasn't too forthcoming and chatty.

"But Emanuel had heard of me and knew about me, and he was keen to get me over there."

Dolan is unable to focus on sweeping all before him in Greece until he qualifies for the Olympic boxing tournament.

He has dropped down from the super-heavyweight division that he won at the Commonwealths to fight in the more competitive heavyweight category.

A second-round defeat in the World Amateur Boxing Championship in Bangkok this year underlined the tough challenge that lies in store for Dolan.

But he said: "The main thing now is qualifying for the Olympics in early February and then going on to get a medal in the Games.

"Qualifying for the Olympics will be tough because I'll be up against other Europeans, including the Belarusian who beat me in Thailand.

"The heavyweights are also better than the super-heavyweights - they hit just as hard but are quicker - but it's nearer to my natural weight.

"You learn more from your defeats than your victories, and in that respect it's been a good year.

"I've had my ups and downs, and I've done well in some tournaments and not so well in others.

"But I've got a lot of experience this year and I've learnt a lot about trying to combat different styles. That will stand me in good stead for next year."

Gary Doig, npower's community relations officer for the North East said: "One of the real benefits of npower's support of the Local Heroes Awards is that we come into contact with outstanding athletes like David Dolan, who was a joint winner with Chris Newton of the npower Over-16 Outstanding performance award.

"As part of our ongoing community programme, the npower community relations team identifies local and regional projects that aid the environment, help support education and promote wider opportunities for people with disabilities. My role is a fantastic people-based role which enables the team to work with and support a wide range of exciting community initiatives throughout the North East such as Local Heroes.

"At npower, we enjoy being part of the local community and are keen to drive the development and fulfilment of regional community projects and awareness campaigns. We also have a very hands-on approach and will be actively encouraging employee involvement in local community projects, a programme that has worked for npower at national level."

As well as headline sponsor of the Local Heroes Awards, this year sees npower supporting the Leading Light Award 2003, the over-18 Team Award 2003 and the Game for a Laugh Award 2003.