A SCOTS boxing referee has travelled 54,000 miles in three months to fulfil his dream of officiating at the London Olympics.
Andy Caulfield needs top level experience to win one of the 45 places for referees at the games this summer.
So since the start of this year he has travelled to and from his home in Kelty, Fife, to Thailand, Italy, China, India, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Mexico.
Andy, 45, will have to wait until May to see if his exhausting globetrotting with World Series Boxing has paid off.
He said: “There will be 45 people chosen to officiate at the London gents and ladies competitions and over the next few months the final lineup will be chosen.
“I will have to keep refereeing at the highest of standards in the coming weeks to keep my chances good of being chosen to take part in the Olympics.”
Andy, who has already been picked to referee Olympic qualifying rounds, said: “The World Series events have been coming along at a pace over the past few weeks.
“I have found myself travelling halfway around the world but the competition has been excellent and the experience has been tremendous.
“The WSB bouts are all televised live so you are very aware that every decision you make is under the spotlight and halls are packed so there really is no hiding place.”
Andy, who coaches youngsters at Kinross Amateur Boxing Academy in Fife, continued: “It has been a really exhausting schedule with an awful lot of travelling but I really enjoy refereeing so it is something that has been an interesting challenge.
“It has not been easy to combine being away so much with running my business and my family have not seen much of me either so I am indebted to my wife Gillian and the people at my painter and decorators’ business for their support.”
Any has now been chosen to officiate in the WSB semi-finals, as well as the Women’s World Championships and Olympic qualifiers.
