England Talent Forms New GB Boxing Medal Strategy

GB Boxing has recruited the first 10 boxers that will be part of its Future Olympic Medal Strategy (FOMS), a new joint programme with England Boxing, Boxing Scotland and Welsh Boxing.

FOMS is a new investment from GB Boxing designed to identify talented boxers in home nation programmes with Olympic podium potential and provide them with targeted, personalised support before they transition into the World Class Programme (WCP). It is not a replacement for Academy or Podium status, but complementary to it, with a focus on Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

The first cohort of 10 FOMS boxers is made-up of seven women and three men. The women are: Lily Bassett, Serena Mali, Jaya Kalsi, Siobhan Haley, Rhianna Holden, Niamh Mitchell and Shannon Warren. The men are: Reuben Huczmann, Yashua Fleming and Michael Maughan.

In addition to the 10 FOMS boxers, GB Boxing has also added welterweight (W60kg) Ella Lonsdale (Sunderland Eastend ABC) and light-heavyweight (M80kg) Oliver Male (Bridlington ABC) to its Academy squad from 1 August 2026.

The ten FOMS boxers were nominated by the home nation governing bodies for boxing in England, Scotland and Wales and took part in a three-day assessment camp at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield with coaches from their respective home nations and GB Boxing.

The selection criteria was equally weighted and based on: potential to win an Olympic medal; competitive results at national and international level; and a discretionary assessment against GB Boxing’s performance standards, with no quotas applied across the three nations.

All ten FOMS boxers will receive an Individual Athlete Plan (IAP) agreed jointly between the boxer, their home nation and GB Boxing. They will also have the opportunity to access selected domestic and international training camps alongside GB Academy boxers, and to gain exposure to expert coaching from GB Boxing staff, while continuing to be led day-to-day by their home nation programme. Selections are renewable annually, with formal performance reviews held every six months.

Rob McCracken said: “FOMS is about making sure Great Britain’s best talent stays in the Olympic pathway and arrives at the World Class Programme ready to compete at that level. This first FOMS squad has shown real potential during the assessment process, and we’re looking forward to working closely with them and their Home Nations over the coming year.

“It’s also been a really positive period for our Academy squad, with Ella and Oliver both earning their place through strong performances and clear potential. We’re looking forward to welcoming them into the Sheffield environment from August.”

“This is a joint effort. All of the Home Nations are a part of this plan to support the most promising young boxers, with shared accountability between us.”

The FOMS squad officially begins its programme in July 2026, when IAPs will be agreed. The first joint camps are scheduled for later in the year. Ella and Oliver will join the Academy squad on 1 August 2026 and will train at the EIS Sheffield alongside their new teammates fortnightly. They will also join members of the GB Boxing squad at a training camp in France in August 2026.

The full list of boxers joining the WCP is below: