AQEEL Ahmed knows every bump on the road on the M74, has visited every service station on the A1. That he continues to make the weekly four-hour journey to Sheffield from his home in Lanarkshire – and back – underlines the commitment and sacrifices he has made for the sake of his amateur boxing career.
The 26-year-old has travelled somewhat further this week, landing in Minsk ready to compete in the second edition of the European Games. That he is the only Scot in the British squad is testament to his progress and, without putting too much of a burden on himself, the light flyweight believes winning isn’t beyond him.
“I feel I’m capable of getting the gold here,” he said. “It’s definitely possible. That’s my ultimate target but the real aspiration is to at least get a medal. I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself that I have to do that but I’m going into the event in a positive frame of mind.
“I’m the only Scot on the boxing team but I’m used to that now. I just hope I can perform well. A good performance here will set me up for the world championships in Russia later in the year. And then maybe I can start to think about the Olympics, too.”
Ahmed was part of the Scottish team at the last two Commonwealth Games and can sense a similar vibe about this week.
“The European Games is very important to us. It’s probably the closest thing to the Commonwealth or Olympics Games. I travelled to Birmingham last week to get the extra kit and get fitted up and it felt quite special.
“It’s nice being part of something bigger. At the Commonwealth Games you became quite familiar with other athletes from other sports and we were motivating each other before our events. It’s different from our standard European championships and I like that.”
Tokyo next year would be another level entirely, although events out of his control may have an influence on whether he makes the British team or not.
“There are a few funny things with Olympic weight categories getting sorted out. Mine might not be included so I would need to step up and then the pool for getting selected would be even deeper. I’ve competed at flyweight before and done well but it would definitely make it harder to get in the team. But if I win gold here that would definitely help my chances.”
His Team Scotland page reveals his childhood aspiration was to become a professional boxer. In the real world, however, he is not quite as enthusiastic.
“Turning pro isn’t in my mind at the moment,” he admits. “It’s different for every boxer. There are a lot of different aspects to it like selling tickets that you have to take into consideration. I like not having to think about the business aspect and just concentrating on boxing.”
The long drive every week – and the need for a recent eye operation – dimmed his enthusiasm for a while. But he says his motivation ahead of Minsk has returned.
“I’m full-time with GB so I’m only at home three days a week. It’s a four-hour drive from my house to Sheffield so it takes it out of you.
“I lost my motivation for a wee while and that can happen. You get a bit homesick and miss your family. You need to adjust to that. In the past it’s been just about seeing a camp out. But ahead of this event it felt like a big opportunity for myself and I have to grab it with both hands.”
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