WHEN Kieran Guffick injured his hip, he thought he had scuppered his chances of being selected for the Junior Great Britain Taekwondo Team.

But injury has proved no barrier for the 16-year-old from Abbots Langley and in a few weeks he will train alongside Great Britain’s future Olympic hopefuls.

The Cardiff Way resident said: “I’ve won a few trophies and medals and that’s what initially got me noticed. A few weeks ago I tried out for the Junior Great Britain Taekwondo Team and I’ve since been notified they want me to join.

“I didn’t think I’d get through. I’d hurt my hip while training, so I wasn’t really performing to my best. When I found out I had made the cut I was over the moon.”

Kieran started learning martial arts at the age of four, but he said it was only in the last year and a half he has really dedicated a majority of his spare time to the sport.

Juggling study for his GCSEs, as well as hockey, choir and orchestra practice, he still manages to find seven to eight hours a week to perfect his taekwondo skills at the TCGB BJ Academy in Abbots Langley.

The Merchant Taylors School student said: “Everyone has been really supportive, from my parents and family to Master Brima Johnson who has taught me Taekwondo.

“Every school holiday I will be travelling to Manchester to train. It will take a lot of dedication, but I’m honoured to have been selected.

“It would be great to represent Great Britain in the Olympics in the future.”