A BOLTON wrestling club are producing some of the country's brightest sportsmen and women after five of their members earned call-ups to national talent schemes.

Officials from Sharples wrestling club have been delighted as Kelsey Barnes, Saffron Clegg, Malachy O'Rourke, Harvey Ridings and Zach Brown joined the likes of England's George Ramm, Lewis McGrath and Ryan Kay – who already have been on the talent side.

Eddy Kavanagh admits it is a great recognition for their club.

He said: "It is the next step from regional training squad and they are told to try out for nationals.

"I think it is a great thing to have eight people from our club at that level.

"It shows how the sport of wrestling is progressing in the town and how what we are doing in the community and going out to run sessions in schools is paying off.

"We are raising the profile of the sport and makes them come to us.

"The more people come though our doors hopefully means we can coach them and get them into nationals too."

The national talent scheme will give them specialist coaching as well as access to competing in international events and improving the chances of following in the footsteps of Ramm who competed in the Commonwealth Games in Scotland last year.

Kavanagh said: "It takes a lot of effort by the wrestlers to get into the talent squad and their hard work paid off.

"The chance to go and compete in international tournaments will be great for them as part of a learning curve."

Ramm is pushing to the next level as he has been away training in the Ukraine and returned to England for a couple of days before jetting off to Austria for competition.

Kavanagh said: "George is doing it full-time in different countries learning against top wrestlers.

"It is great to have him at the club as the younger ones can see what he is doing and want to achieve that too.

"We just want our wrestlers to keep on progressing to be the best they can be."

Sharples took seven wrestlers to the Scottish Championships in Alloa at the weekend returning with four golds and three silvers.

Among the golds included: Ryan Kay 65 kg senior, Connor Whittle 47kg schoolboy, Malachy O' Rourke 39kg schoolboy, Harvey Ridings 35kg schoolboy.

In runners-up spot included: Lewis McGrath 65kg schoolboy, Zach Brown 58kg schoolboy and Josh Moore 29kg schoolboy.