Olympics hopeful Oliver Golding left film set to join the tennis set

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Emer Martin12 April 2012

He was a child actor who landed a role alongside top TV and film stars. Now Oliver Golding has turned his focus to tennis, and is set to become one of Britain's future sporting stars.

Golding, 16, reached the semi-final of the juniors at Wimbledon last month. On Monday he heads for Singapore, where he will represent his country at the world's first Youth Olympics.

The teenager, from Richmond, said: "We're going out a week earlier to acclimatise ourselves and will be living in the Olympic Village. It is always a great honour to represent your country and I will give it 100  per cent to bring home a gold medal."

He also hopes to use the event as a stepping stone for success at the London Games. "I will be a senior in 2012 and I'm definitely aiming to qualify. An Olympic win is like a grand slam win," he said.

Golding grew up with a tennis court in his back garden in Richmond. His mother Sandra runs a tennis club and coached him when he was younger.
He said: "I've played tennis since I was able to walk. I love all sports. I'm lucky because I have had a lot of support, but tennis is very expensive and it must be hard for kids from poorer backgrounds to get the financial help they need."

Oliver, who went to Newland House School in Twickenham, has nine GCSEs and two A levels and no longer goes to school. He trains at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton with fitness coach Jez Green, who works with Andy Murray. The teenager said: "Andy is a big inspiration. He trains at Roehampton so I see him quite a lot. It would be great to play with him in 2012."

His acting career started with a Vauxhall advert at the age of two. He starred with Christopher Lee in 2006 film The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby and with Keira Knightley in TV drama Coming Home. He was also on the West End stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but failed to secure a role in romantic comedy Wimbledon.

The Youth Olympic Games takes place from August 16 to 24.

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