Young Black & Gifted: Boxing champion focused on Olympic goal

It's worth remembering the name Christopher Luteke, because you could be hearing a lot more about him in future.
Christopher Luteke at the Steel City Amateur Boxing Club gym where he trainsChristopher Luteke at the Steel City Amateur Boxing Club gym where he trains
Christopher Luteke at the Steel City Amateur Boxing Club gym where he trains

The 21-year-old boxer from Wybourn has made an explosive start to his fighting career, racking up five national titles, including three in the space of one year.

Having narrowly missed out on making the 2018 Commonwealth Games, he has set his sights on earning a place in Britain's Olympic team by this time next year and giving himself a shot at travelling to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Christopher with a gold medal he won at the Elite Development National Championships in 2016Christopher with a gold medal he won at the Elite Development National Championships in 2016
Christopher with a gold medal he won at the Elite Development National Championships in 2016
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Sitting in the Steel City Amateur Boxing Club in Darnall, where he trains five days a week, he says: "You need to know your worth, set yourself an objective and keep pushing until you achieve that target.

"I've overcome a lot of challenges and adversity. I know my self worth and until I achieve what I know I can I will never be satisfied, but there's no shortcut to the top."

"My little brothers want to become boxers like me and my sister wants to be an Olympic gymnast, so my next goals are to help my sister, who's 10, find the right gym and make my little brother, who's 11, a national champion," he said.

"I told my sister she needs to work on her strength and technique, set herself smaller goals leafing up to the big one and leave no stone unturned."

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When his short temper got the better of him on the football field he took up boxing, aged 15, learning the discipline which would mould him into the dedicated young man he is today.

"I like the fact that once you get into the ring you're by yourself and it's all down to you to show whether you can stand the pressure," says the former Sheffield Park Academy student, who is a big Wladimir Klitschko fan but says Muhammad Ali remains the greatest ever.

"If you ever want to do something which will challenge you in ways you never imagined, try boxing. It will change your whole thought process."

The light-heavyweight fighter describes the new ADIRA Young Black & Gifted Awards as an 'amazing' idea, which he believes will give more of a voice to those from a section of society which too often only gets wider attention for the wrong reasons.

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"There's too little representation of minorities doing positive things so hopefully this will help people see more of the good things that are happening, rather than just focusing on the negative," he says.

"Hopefully it will inspire people and show them what they can achieve too."

* Nominations for the ADIRA Young Black & Gifted Awards are now open, and the deadline for entries is August 2.

You can pick up a nomination form from the locations listed below, or contact Ursula Myrie for more information by emailing [email protected] or calling 07761925938.

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* Young Healthwatch Sheffield, The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield S1 4FW

* Sheffield Mind, 110 Sharrow Lane, Sheffield S11 8AL

* Alicia Nang Hair and Beauty, 28 Snig Hill, Sheffield S3 8NB

* Jiggas Flavourlicious, 210-212 Cricket Inn Road, Sheffield S2 5AT

* Ma Ma Afro Ltd, 93 Firth Park Road, Sheffield S5 6WT

* Jerk Hut, 35 High Street, Sheffield S1 2GA