THE coach of Cardenden boxer Kieran Heggie says he has done himself proud after winning a British silver medal on Sunday.

James White was full of praise for the talented 16-year-old after he narrowly missed out on landing a knockout GB Three Nations Junior and Youth Championships title at Ravenscraig, two years after finishing runner-up at the schoolboy version of the event.

Heggie, who moved with his coach to Dunfermline Boxing Club in January, stepped into the ring alongside the top junior and youth boxers from Scotland, England and Wales at the annual event.

Competing in the junior male 66kg category, the teenager went into the competition on the back of winning silver at Boxing Scotland's School and Junior Championships in March, where Renfrewshire Boxing Club's Robert McNulty getting the nod from the judges in the final.

He pulled on the Scotland vest for his first bout on Saturday against England's Ryan Dickens, who defeated Heggie at the GB Three Nations schoolboy championships, and excelled to record a unanimous victory.

That set up a final with Welshman Patrick Mullane but, despite ending the fight strongly, lost out on the gold medal on a split decision.

Prior to the competition, Heggie said his aim was to "keep training away, try and get some titles in and make everybody proud", and White said: "He did himself proud, the club proud and the country as well.

"He boxed brilliantly on Saturday. He beat Ryan Dickens of England, who beat him in the schoolboys, so he reversed that.

"You've got to be patient; you can't get reckless or you'll be picked off, but he was controlled and powerful, so I couldn't ask for much more. He caught him with a massive left hook in the first round and that put Dickens on his guard and made him a bit wary.

"But he had to be a wee bit busier in the final. He had a slow start, which I think cost him, but he caught the guy heavy in the third round. Kieran said it was the best shot he's ever landed, but the guy still stayed up, but said in the dressing room afterwards that he didn't know where he was!

"But there was nothing in the final and he has to take the positives from it."

He added: "Had he put himself forward a couple of times in the first and second round (of the final), he could be British champion, but I spoke to Kieran after it and he was upbeat.

"It has to give him the confidence to go forward; Ryan Dickens is a European schoolboy silver or bronze medallist, so that was a big win."