HARD work in the gym has paid off for two teenage boxers at a prestigious event.

Cody Manning, of Musselburgh, and Stephen Steadwood were representing Bronx Boxing Gym at the Eastern District Championships last month.

Both picked up gold medals after impressive showings in the ring in Alloa.

John McCallum, from the Tranent-based gym, stressed that he did not get nervous watching the youngsters while he was at ringside.

He said: “I have done it for that long that it is no problem.

“It is absolutely pleasing to work with kids who are training as hard as they do.

“Everything else is easy but the kids train as hard as they do and are in here five nights a week.

“They are training seriously, taking it really serious.

“They are running 30 kilometres a week and they are training really hard.

“They put in the hard work and that is why they get the medals to prove it.”

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Manning was boxing in the 2008 46 kilogramme category and took gold, while Steadwood, of Edinburgh, was boxing in the 2009 category of the same weight division and was also standing on top of the podium.

It has been an impressive first season for the gym, which had looked in danger of folding as it struggled to find permanent premises after leaving the former Tranent Methodist Church.

Now based in Tranent Town Hall, the gym has bounced back in impressive fashion, enjoying success at the Boxing Scotland National Development Championships towards the end of last year and now the Eastern District Championships, which attract the best boxers from the east of Scotland.

Mr McCallum said: “It just shows how much the gym was needed in the community.

“It is our first year of competing and we are winning Scottish Championships and district golds – some gyms don’t ever win that.”

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Attention now turns to the national open championships, which have been rebranded the Golden Gloves Championships.

Each of the winners will be gifted a pair of Golden Boxing Scotland Gloves as a symbol of excellence for being Scottish champion in their age and weight category in their country, alongside receiving a winner’s medal.

McCallum added: “I have always said there is so much talent in East Lothian.

“That is why it was so important to get the club up and running again.”