We developed the Youth Athlete programme to help the future talent of tomorrow. The principle of the programme is to support young, emerging sporting stars across many different disciplines.
Currently the programme has 13 athletes with various sporting disciplines. These include gymnastics, boxing, tennis, kickboxing, and weightlifting.
Jorja McNaughton
Olympic Weightlifter
Olympic weightlifter Jorja McNaughton, from Glasgow, has been weightlifting for six years and competes in the women’s 49kg U17 class at national and international level.
Jorja boasts several other Scottish records in the 40kg to 55kg class and has been awarded best female lifter in the Scottish Youth contest and at Manchester-based competition, the Barton Youth Open.
Stats:
- 3x times British gold medalist
- Scottish records in the women’s 49kg class from U14 to U23s
- Best female lifter in Scottish Youth
- Best female lifter in Manchester at Barton youth open competition
- Scottish youth, junior and senior champion
Luis Davin
Footballer
Luis currently plays for the Steven Gerrard Academy based in Liverpool at U19, U21 and U23 level. Luis has been training and playing for 13 years for teams like Eastham Rangers, Birkenhead Boys, Morecambe Academy u18s (age 15), Cammel Lairds (youth & first aged 16), and Ellesmere Port Town firsts.
Stats:
- Won the Eastham League
- Divisional Top Cup
- Wallasey League x2
- Wirral Cup x2
Aaron Sarwar
Boxer
Sixteen-year-old Aaron Sarwar, from Kilmarnock, has been training with Northwest Boxing Club for more than a year and has already represented his country and the club at an international level!
He has won gold medals in the Scottish Championship, William Wallace Box Club and King of the Ring competition in Sweden.
Stats:
- Scottish Championship Gold
- William Wallace Box Club Gold
- King of the Ring competition, Sweden, Gold
- GB Championships Silver
- East Ayrshire Sports Council Youth Personality of the Year
Ethan Cunningham
Gymnast, DMT
Ethan, from Glasgow, started gymnastics aged 10 and became British Tumble Champion by aged 14. Later, he switched disciplines to DMT (double mini trampoline) and was selected for the Scotland national squad for both disciplines in 2020. Ethan is currently the youngest member of the Senior Development GBR squad, at just 17!
Stats:
- Scottish Tumble Champion 2017 and 2019
- British Tumble Champion
- Silver at the British National Open 2021
- 2022 Senior Men’s DMT Scottish champion
- 2022 Highest ranking Scottish male DMT gymnast in Scotland
- 2022 Senior member of the GBR squad for DMT
Alfie Bradshaw
Boxer
Alfie has been training for the past three years and currently holds the East Midlands Junior Vest title as well as reaching the quarter-final stages of several national competitions.
Stats:
- East Midlands Junior Vest
Ben Stitt
Kickboxer
A champion kickboxer from Kilmarnock, Ben Stitt joined the Youth athlete programme, aged 12.
After winning his first international competition in Athens in 2018, he achieved Black Belt status in June 2019 becoming youngest ever (aged 12) to achieve this in his association.
Stats:
- Scottish, British and World Champion titles at the World Kickboxing Union (WKU) Championships
- Gold and a Bronze at WKA Scottish Championship in 15-17 category
- 1 x Gold and 2 x Silver at the WKO English Open
Gillian McGaw
Motorbike Racer
Gillian is one of a small number of female motorbike racers in Scotland.
The funding and support from QTS will enable Gillian to secure the training and equipment necessary to compete at both UK and international competitions, including a full set of personalised racing leathers and maintenance of her ZXR400 Kawasakibike.
Stats:
- Sixth in the Ulster Grand Prix 2018, her biggest competition to date
Jed McMillan
Tennis
Jed competes across Britain most in the 16 and under age group with many tournaments being set as 18 and under age.
Starting at a young age Jed has been a driven competitor in the tennis world and aspires to compete international in the men’s category at tournaments eventually gaining a world ranking.
Stats:
- Men’s Doubles win West End Tournament
- Men’s doubles Ayrshire Open win
- Scottish junior nationals closed 16s winner
- Edinburgh 18s open doubles win
- Manchester 18s singles win
- Manchester men’s singles win
Adie Lock
Kickboxer
Adie Lock is a talented kickboxer from Stockport.
After being bullied at school, Adie’s mum Claire, took him to kickboxing classes when he was seven year’s old in a bid to build his confidence. From the minute he started, it was clear he had a natural talent for the sport and to remain at the top of his age group, Adie trains on average five to six days a week.
Stats:
- Three gold medals in the Turkish Open
- Five gold medals at the Aberdeen Open in 2019
- Numerous international and national tournament wins
Charlotte Payne
Hammer & Discuss
Charlotte Payne is a 17 year old Hammer & Discus thrower from Thatcham, Newbury.
As an athletic child, Charlotte tried her hand at a variety of sports before trialling discus and hammer throwing at the age of 10, following her brother’s involvement in the sport. She soon realised her natural talent when she began out throwing her brother three-years her senior and began competing competitively in 2013.
Stats:
- English Schools’ Athletics Championships for two years running
- Seventh in the European Championships in Sweden – despite being the youngest competitor
Rory McKinna
Parasailing
Hailing from Stewarton in the West of Scotland, Rory is a well accomplished parasailer with a number of championship races under his belt. Starting at age 14 Rory has honed his skills over the years and continues to perform at a high level.
Stats:
- UK Hansa Traveller Trophy – 1st
- Belgian Sailability Cup – 1st
- UK Hansa Nationals – 1st
- Swiss Hansa Nationals – 1st
