ELITE light-heavyweight boxer Daniel Stuart hopes to represent Australia at the Olympics in Japan next year.
The Butler resident recently won the Australasian Golden Gloves Championships and is an Olympic prospect for Australia in his weight division (81kg).
Born in Zimbabwe, Stuart started boxing when he was 13 at a regional community boxing gym in the Pilbara, and became a national youth champion when he was 15.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWHe has since represented WA, attended the Australian Institute of Sport and competed internationally.
Stuart said his greatest achievement so far had been winning a national title in only seven boxing bouts at the youth national title in Brisbane in 2015.
Aspiring “simply to be the best”, his focus now is to be selected for the Australian team at nationals in November and bring home a medal.
“My aspirations are to be an Olympic gold medallist and hold all the boxing federation belts as a professional.”
Stuart now trains and coaches at Peak1 Boxing Club in Butler, which is run by Mick and Claire Hale who also ran the Pilbara club.
“I started boxing because I was interested when my school friend was talking about how he was going to a boxing club,” he said.
“I do all sorts of training –boxing training, high intensity sprints, weight lifting.
“I do a bit of everything for boxing is a full body sport.
“My motivation comes from my family – the support and love they show me towards chasing my goals and dreams make me hungrier everyday.”
Stuart said he also enjoyed outdoor activities such as riding dirt bikes and paintballing.