BRADFORD College boxing prodigy Harris Akbar has moved a step closer to his Olympic dream after being called into the Great Britain Podium Potential squad.

It means the 17-year-old, who was named young male sportsperson of the year for a second successive time at the recent Bradford Sports Awards, will train with the best up-and-coming fighters in the country.

The teenager, who is a sports student at the college and fights for the Bradford Police and College Boxing Club, took part in a GB assessment camp earlier this year.

He so impressed coaches that he was invited to join the Podium Potential squad training ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

"It means I will train with some of the best fighters around and with Great Britain coaches at the excellent facilities in Sheffield at the Institute of Sport," said Great Horton-based Akbar.

Bradford College tutor and boxing coach Mally McIver said: "Harris joins Jack Bateson, Mo Ali, Oliver Simpson and Connor Lofthouse as college students from our sports course to join the GB boxing team. I am thrilled for him and confident he will perform well."

Akbar won bronze at the World Youth Boxing Championship in November, bringing home England's only medal from the tournament in Russia. He has since stepped up to senior competition.

He now hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Bradford College student Muhammad 'Mo' Ali and make it all the way to the Olympics. Keighley fighter Ali represented Great Britain in Rio last summer.