Jatinder wrestles with homework and sport

4/ 4/2008

TUTORS are very careful if they have to criticise Jatinder Rakhra's homework.

The 18-year old Mancat college student is a rising star of wrestling and will be one of the youngest British athletes taking part in the Beijing Olympics - if he passes a qualifying competition in Belarus later this month.

Jatinder has been crowned national junior champion eight times and is studying a foundation degree sports science at the college.

Jatinder, who fights in the 60kg category, praised his tutors, who helped him manage his coursework while competing and training abroad.

He said: "I'm really privileged to be representing Great Britain in wrestling. Without the high level of support from the tutors at Mancat, I would not have been able to combine my course alongside my sport.

"All the tutors work really hard to ensure that I keep up to date with my coursework."

Originally from Slough, the teenager moved to Manchester so he could train at the English Olympic Wrestling Academy in Salford, regarded as the best facility in the country. He eventually hopes to get a job in business or teaching.

His lecturer, Yvonne Harkin, an expert in sport and recreation, said: "It's fantastic that we have a student of Jatinder's calibre studying on one of our higher education courses."

The youngest Briton at the Olympics will be 14-year-old diving prodigy Tom Daley. Bolton boxer Amir Khan was previously the youngest in 2004, winning a silver medal at 17.