LIAM Legg has hit a crossroads in his quest to become one of Britain’s top taekwondo students.

The 11-year-old, who lives in Dorchester, has already shown incredible potential in the discipline but is currently finding it hard to identify the right path to continue his development.

Legg’s biggest inspiration has been the achievements of Aaron Cook, who is currently preparing for his second Olympic Games after finishing fourth in Beijing in 2008.

Not only did Cook’s love for taekwondo also begin in the county town but he also attended the same first and middle schools as Legg, who is currently in his second year at St Osmund’s.

Cook eventually had to move away from Dorchester in order to further his taekwondo aspirations and is now based in Doncaster, but Legg did get to meet the Olympian at last year’s Trelleborg Open in Sweden where he had his photo taken with him.

Legg’s mother Valerie told Echosport: “Liam has been doing taekwondo since he was three-and-a-half and earlier this month he went back to Sweden again where he won gold in the -28kg category for the second successive year.

“There were kids from many different countries there competing so it was another great experience for him, however, he is at a bit of a crossroads now.

“Not only is funding an issue but he is also having problems with his weight as well.

“In terms of his age he should be in the -33kg category over here, but he is currently 27kg and nowhere near that.

“Another problem is that a lot of the best coaches in the country seem to be based a lot further north and I believe that is one of the major reasons why Aaron Cook moved away.

“Liam met Aaron on his first visit to Sweden and he is a big inspiration to him but unfortunately it is proving very hard for him to find the right way forward at the moment.

“He is currently at Wessex Taekwondo, which is very good, but he is the only youngster there that has a black belt and all the rest that went to Sweden were adults, so understandably he felt a bit left out. “He did meet a lad from Denmark over there who he got on with very well.

“He already had 20 gold medals at the age of eight and the big difference was he had everything behind him already in terms of top-level coaching and support.

“Liam did get invited to go and train in Doncaster once and he absolutely loved it and I think training with others of a similar age and ability is really what he needs now in order for him to progress.”

Despite having become a little despondent in recent times, Legg’s love for taekwondo is very much apparent. He added: “I have been doing it now for nearly eight years.

“I did all the different belts and really enjoyed it a lot. I loved all the kicking and exercises, and after a lot of hard work, I managed to get my black belt when I was nine.

“I entered my first competition when I was five and I have been doing them regularly ever since then.

“I enjoy them a lot too and although I get nervous beforehand, all that goes as soon as I am out there competing.”

Legg also enjoys playing basketball, football and bowls but his mother is very much hoping taekwondo will continue to remain a part of his life in the future.

Valerie said: “He is thinking about taking a year out of competitive taekwondo but if he does do that hopefully he will go back to it one day.”