EYOF: Willis has her eyes on another European medal in Turkey

By Charlie Talbot-Smith, Sportsbeat

WHILE A continental bronze medal might seem like a pretty big deal for your average 15-year-old, for judoka Hayley Willis it is merely a stepping stone on the path to success at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Turkey.

FIRST STEPS: Judoka Hayley Willis will represent Britain at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Turkey

Willis, who fights at -44kg, brought home bronze from last month's European Cadet Championships in Malta to earn her selection on Britain's 64-strong squad in Trabzon.

She will get a chance to take on yet more of Europe's elite judokas in her age group in Turkey and Willis insists that the confidence she takes from her success in Malta will stand her in good stead.

 "When I found out I was on the team I was absolutely ecstatic, it's so exciting to think that I will be representing Great Britain at a Youth Olympics," she said.

"It's going to be a really special event, probably the biggest of my career so far. I have represented Britan before, at the European Juniors last month, but this is different.

"I managed to take bronze there and that has given me an enormous amount of confidence going into this competition in Turkey.

"Bronze was a good result for me but it also gives me something else to aim for when I get out to the Youth Olympics, but you have to take it one fight at a time.

"I have been training hard and feel like I'm in good shape so now I just can't wait to get out there and see what I can do.

"It makes me feel really proud that I will be going out there and hopefully I can step up my fighting to another level."

Willis, who mixes her time between the Stratford and Redbridge Judo clubs, also claimed gold earlier in the season in the British trials.

And the 15-year-old is happy to admit that she hopes this European Youth Olympic Festival in Turkey is just the first of many big events she gets to take part in on the road to senior success.

"I want to go all the way in this sport and hopefully the Youth Olympics are a great learning experience for me that pushes me on to plenty of other big multi-sport events," she added.

"I have been doing this sport for so long and training really hard so I would really like to become a professional, I get to train with the British girls team sometimes and with London 2012 coming up they're a real inspiration to me."

Lloyds TSB is a Proud Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Official Supporter of Team GB on their journey to the European Youth Olympic Festival. Visit: www.lloydstsb.com/london2012

(c) Sportsbeat 2011