GEORGE Ramm underlined his rise to prominence as the best young wrestler in the country with a senior gold medal at the English Championships in Alfreton over the weekend.

The 19-year-old beat his conqueror in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Scot Viorel Etko, in the semi-finals and Omar Ahmed in the final to take the 61k title.

"I had three fights and won them all, and to beat the guy who beat me in the Commonwealth Games shows big improvement."

The Harwood teenager led the way for a talented Bolton contingent at the championships, with Ramm's team-mates from Sharples Wrestling Club and Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club combining to win 27 medals in total.

Ramm was the only senior male to win gold from Bolton, but the town claimed one gold in the men's veterans competition and three in the senior women's events, as well as six in the junior categories.

And he believes the latest medal haul confirms the town as a hotbed of wrestling talent.

"The north of England produces the best wrestlers (in Britain), I don't care what anyone says, especially Bolton," said Ramm.

"From 30 to 40 years ago, it's always been the best. People like Brian Aspin have come through, and went to the Olympics.

"We have had some good people come through who were on another level compared to anyone else.

"I think that's because the clubs we have here, and the coaches, they are so dedicated. It's that mentality that has brought it on over the past 20 years."

Ramm passed up the chance to have a crack at qualifying for this year's Olympics in Rio, preferring to wait another four years before taking on the best seniors in the world on the biggest stage.

Instead, he is focusing on his final year as a junior with the European Junior Championships in Romania next month and the World Junior Championships in France at the end of August.

English junior and senior wrestling championships results

Men's seniors: Gold – G Ramm 61k (Sharples).

Mens's veterans: Gold - T Collins 96k (Bolton). Bronze – H Asgharyzadegan 66k (Bolton).

Womens seniors: Gold – A Fountain 46k (Bolton), L McGrath 52k (Bolton), Kelsey Barnes 58k (Sharples). Bronze – M Winstone 53k (Bolton).

Juniors: Gold – H Ridings 36k (Sharples), M O'Rourke 39k (Sharples), J Costello 47k (Bolton), D Fisher 68k (Bolton), M Johnson 73k (Bolton), N Livesey 77k (Bolton). Silver – H Meadows 22k (Bolton), C Meadows 30k (Bolton), T Costello 31k (Bolton), H May 33k (Bolton), J Higgins Meadows 46k (Bolton), H Hussain 47k (Bolton), E Crossley 58k (Sharples), S Gradwell 58k (Bolton), A Astley 60k+ (Sharples), A Hussain 100k (Bolton). Bronze – L Husband 28k (Bolton), M O'Neill 34k (Sharples), C Leader 43k (Bolton), L McGrath 68k (Sharples).