By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
TWO young Olympic hopefuls from the Yarra Valley will be flying to Azerbaijan next months in the hope of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in boxing.
Harry Garside, 18, and Mat Sheehan, 25, have been training under Brian Levier at the Lilydale youth club their whole careers and have many overseas successes in their journey towards the Olympic Games.
“I’m super nervous, but also super proud,” Mr Garside said.
“It’s a really big thing for me and Mat and really big for the gym too.”
Both young contenders attempted Olympic qualifications in The Asian/Ocean Qualifiers in China where Mr Sheehan lost his first fight, but Mt Garside won against New Zealand.
Mr Garside then lost in a controversial decision against the home team, meaning that he was eliminated from the competition.
Since then both boxers have been undergoing rigorous training for their trip to Azerbaijan and the last chance Olympic qualifier.
“It’s a huge honour representing Australia in this sport overseas,” Mr Garside said.
“I feel prepared and ready for this next, and it’s something I’ve always dreamed of but never expected to get here when I first walked into the gym as a nine-year-old boy.”
Coach Brian Levier said he couldn’t be more proud of the two young men he had coached for over 10 years.
“I’m proud of them no matter what,” he said.
“Boxing is one of the hardest sports in the world, and these young men train so hard to get where they are.”
Mr Levier said no matter what happened at the Olympic qualifier, he was proud of the terrific young men Mr Sheehan and Mr Garside had grown into.
